KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After the Royals win the World Series, people will be celebrating in all sorts of ways. Kansas City Police want people to have fun and be responsible about how they celebrate.
Michele Shanahan-DeMoss says irresponsible celebration led the her daughter’s death.
“Blair was on the other side of a tree line on the other side of a lake,” she said.
Blair Shanahan Lane was just 11-years-old when she was killed by a bullet fired over a mile away in celebration on the Fourth of July. Blair was dancing just moments before that bullet took her out. That was three years ago. A baseball fan since she was just a few years old, Blair should now be 14-years-old.
“She should be cheering baseball on tonight. In blue doing all of the fun things her friends are doing but because of stupidity. Social media is lit up with it today. It obviously is happening and it still continues to happen,” said Shanahan-DeMoss.
Blair’s mom wears a locket with a picture of her daughter wearing a Royals hat this blue October. She says she is amazed that it is necessary to continue talking about the dangers of celebratory gunfire. Just last night, Shanahan-DeMoss heard what she says sounded like gunshots near her home in independence.
“A gun is not a toy; it should not be out at any point of celebration, because that’s how my daughter lost her life. A bullet traveled quite a distance and hit her in the neck,” she said.
Kansas City Missouri police say it is a crime to randomly discharge a gun. The severity of that crime depends on the aftermath, the damage it does when and where that bullet lands.
A spokesperson for KCPD says if you hear gunshots, don’t hesitate to call police. They also say they have made preparations to provide a secure environment at the stadium and in the entertainment districts.
So far, police say the celebrations have been positive, and they are not anticipating anything different.
