Police Chase Breaks Out On Super Bowl Parade Route For Kansas City Chiefs, Two Suspects Arrested
Fans in Kansas City, Missouri, gathered today for a parade celebrating the Kansas City Chiefs’ first Super Bowl victory in 50 years. This morning, as people started to gather in anticipation of the event, a police chase happened along the route of the parade.
Police were in pursuit of a car down the parade route for multiple blocks only hours before it was scheduled to start.
“A vehicle broke through the parade barrier on the north side of the route at 8:12 a.m.,” Kansas City Police Department said in a statement to KMBC News.
All nearby officers were alerted to the car traveling down the city blocks. After chasing the car with several police cruisers, they were able to use a tactical maneuver to stop the car and apprehend the suspects.
“Multiple police cars were prepared to block it. Officers then used tactical vehicle intervention, also known as the PIT maneuver, to stop the suspect car,” the statement read. “Clay County Sheriff’s Deputies assisting KCPD deployed Stop Sticks, which the vehicle struck.”
The vehicle was stopped around Union Station and Crown Center and was reportedly “headed for the crowd” gathered nearby.
There were multiple flat tires on the car involved in the pursuit. Police say no injuries were sustained during the chase.
KSHB News reports the driver is being investigated for driving under the influence. A Kansas City Police Department spokesperson told the outlet that no weapons were found, and they do not suspect this was related to terrorist activity.
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Shortly after the chase, the car was towed to clear the parade route, and police confirmed the Chiefs Kingdom Champions Parade route was “100 percent secure.”
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas spoke to KSHB News about the incident.
“I would encourage everyone who is coming down to the parade to celebrate responsibly. Do not act like bozos like this fellow did,” the mayor said.
Mayor Lucas later tweeted his appreciation for local police handling the chase swiftly and without injuries, and added that the city will “stay vigilant” about any other threats that may arise during the celebration.
As reported by The Inquisitr, the mayor wasted no time announcing the parade. Shortly after the Chiefs won the Lombardi trophy, he tweeted that the parade would be Wednesday.
The crowd is expected to be even larger than the 800,000 people who were in attendance for the Kansas City Royals World Series win in 2015. A spokesperson for the parade said they had “learned a lot” from that experience.