Travis Kelce has led tributes from Kansas City Chiefs players to the victims of the mass shooting that turned the NFL team’s Super Bowl victory parade into chaos and tragedy.
The 34-year-old tight end, the boyfriend of Taylor Swift,said he was “heartbroken” by the attack, which killed one person and injured at least 21 others, including nine children.
“My heart is with all who came out to celebrate with us and have been affected. KC, you mean the world to me,” said Mr Kelce, who chose not to incorporate a call for gun reform into his public response, unlike some of his teammates.
The tributes came as police revealed they suspected a personal dispute lay behind the shooting. Stacey Graves, Kansas City police chief, said there was no link to terrorism or homegrown extremism.
“This appeared to be a dispute between several people that ended in gunfire,” she added.
Mr Kelce’s tribute was seized by online conspiracy theorists in addition to a previous post written by the player in 2015, in which he called for “more strict gun laws, especially when toddlers are dying”.
A wild conspiracy theory has circulated on social media that alludes to a “false flag” operation, involving Mr Kelce and Ms Swift, aimed at increasing gun control in America.
On X, formerly Twitter, one user named Patriot Voice, posted: “Three days ago, Travis Kelce was quoted saying ‘There needs to be more strict gun laws.’ Now, why would he randomly say that?
“Fast forward to today and there is a mass shooting at the Chiefs Super Bowl parade in Kansas City that he is attending. That ladies and gentlemen, is called predictive programming at its finest.
“Travis is apparently ‘heartbroken’ over this whole situation, and I’m sure that his gun-grabbing rhetoric will now be amplified tenfold because of this tragedy. How convenient is that?
“Just wait until Taylor Swift chimes in…The push to take away your firearms is going full bore as we get closer to the 2024 election.”
Another user wrote: “Is this a false flag so that Taylor comes out for gun control next?”
The comments echo online protests which appeared in the wake of the Chiefs’ overtime victory on Sunday, alleging the outcome of the Super Bowl was rigged for political reasons.
Ms Swift and Mr Kelce are seen by proponents of that conspiracy theory as influential celebrities who could entice voters to back the Democrats at the next US election in November.
Despite being dismissed by the NFL, the idea has gained such traction that a recent poll by Monmouth University found that one in five Americans believe “a covert government effort for Taylor Swift to help Joe Biden win the presidential election actually exists”.
However, neither Ms Swift nor Mr Kelce have called for gun reform following the Super Bowl parade shooting.
Some of the NFL star’s teammates have expressed strong views on the issue.
Charles Omenihu, the Chiefs defensive end, asked on X: “When are we going to fix these gun laws?
“How many more people have to die to say enough is enough? It’s too easy for the wrong people to obtain guns in America and that’s a FACT.”
Justin Reid, another team-mate said: “We cannot allow this to be normal”.
Hours after the shooting, he added: “Kids are being shot and somebody didn’t come home tonight... we cannot become numb and chalk it up to ‘just another shooting in America’ and reduce people in statistics and then move on. This is a SERIOUS PROBLEM!! I pray our leaders enact real solutions.”
It also emerged that in the aftermath of the shooting, many players comforted children caught up in it.
Trey Smith and another player found shelter in a closet during the shooting, he told Good Morning America, helping as many people as possible do the same.
“Right before I run in there, there’s a little kid in front of me, so I just grabbed him and yanked him up and said you’re hopping in here with me, buddy,” Smith said. “I don’t know how many people were in the closet, maybe 20-plus.
“One of my teammates, my long snapper James Winchester, was very instrumental in helping keep people calm.”
Three people have been arrested in relation to the attack.
Stacey Graves, Kansas City police chief, told a news conference on Wednesday eveningthat three people were detained “and under investigation” in connection with the shooting but said investigators had yet to determine a motive.
