KMBC NINE NEWS TODAY MARKS THREE MONTHS SINCE THE DEADLY CHIEFS PARADE DAY SHOOTING OUTSIDE UNION STATION. THAT’S THREE MONTHS OF INVESTIGATIONS, COURT HEARINGS AND HEALING FOR THOSE CAUGHT IN THE CHAOS. LOCAL RADIO HOST LISA LOPEZ GALVAN WAS KILLED BY GUNFIRE ON FEBRUARY 14TH. DOZENS MORE CHIEFS FANS, INCLUDING MANY CHILDREN, WERE HIT HIT BY BULLETS IN THE DAYS FOLLOWING THE MASS SHOOTING. THE KC STRONG FUND TOOK SHAPE, CLIMBING TO MORE THAN $1.8 MILLION. APPLICATION FOR AID CLOSED TOMORROW. KMBC NINE’S ANDY ALCOCK IS FOLLOWING UP WITH THOSE STILL DEALING WITH THE SHOOTING EVERY SINGLE DAY. THESE LAST THREE MONTHS HAVE BEEN VERY CHALLENGING FOR JAMES LEMONS AND HIS FAMILY. HE WAS HERE WITH HIS WIFE BRANDY, AND THEIR THREE CHILDREN WHEN THE GUNFIRE ERUPTED. JAMES LEMONS STILL HAS BULLET FRAGMENTS LODGED IN HIS LEG. THEY INCLUDE ONE SHOWN ON ON THIS X RAY. HE’S SCHEDULED TO HAVE SURGERY NEXT WEEK TO HAVE THOSE FRAGMENTS REMOVED. JAMES IS ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRAUMA HIS 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, KELLI, HIS TEN YEAR OLD SON JACKSON AND HIS FIVE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER KINSLEY EXPERIENCE THAT DAY, HE SAYS KINSLEY HAS TROUBLE BEING AROUND ANY LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE. I’VE NEVER SEEN A FIVE YEAR OLD GET GOOSEBUMPS ALL OVER THEIR BODY FROM BEING AROUND PEOPLE THAT SHE’S KNOWN SINCE SHE WAS BORN, WE HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY IN TANDEM WITH THE PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE, MEETING WITH THEM WEEKLY TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT FINAL VERIFY VICTIM LIST IS, AND THOSE VICTIMS, INCLUDING JAMES, WERE SENT CLAIM FORMS. MAY 1ST COMPLETED FORMS ARE DUE TOMORROW. JAMES IS ALREADY COMPLETED HIS FORM AND RETURNED IT IN THE MEANTIME, WITH JAMES UNABLE TO WORK, THE LEMONS FAMILY IS TRYING TO MAKE LEMONADE OUT OF LEMONS. WE’RE STILL STRUGGLING, BUT WE WE PUSHED THROUGH BECAUSE WE HAVE NO CHOICE. ATTORNEYS WILL DETERMINE IF VICTIMS LIKE JAMES GET FUNDING AND HOW MUCH MONEY AT UNION STATION ANDY ALCOCK KMBC NINE NEWS, WE’RE TOLD EACH SELECTED VICTIM IS LIKELY TO GET TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO COVER EXPENSES LIKE MEDICAL JOB LOSS AND COUNSELING. THE UNITED WAY WILL ALSO GIVE A PORTION OF
United Way says #KCStrong fund is nearing distribution, victims closer to financial aid
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Updated: 6:42 PM CDT May 14, 2024
Victims of the Chiefs parade shooting are closer to getting money to help with their recovery.Shortly after the shooting, the United Way of Greater Kansas City started the KC Strong Fund.That fund closed on April 30 with more than 4000 donors ranging from large corporations to individuals giving in excess of $1.8 million. James Lemons was at the celebration on Feb. 14 with his wife Brandie, his 17-year-old daughter Kallie, his 10-year-old son Jackson, and his 5-year-old daughter Kensley when the gunfire erupted.Lemons was shot in the leg.A scan revealed he had four bullet fragments lodged in his muscle.He's scheduled for surgery to have those fragments removed next week.A warehouse worker, Lemons has been unable to work since he was shot."It's been kind of hard on us financially. We're still struggling, but we push through because we have no choice. You know, I'm saying we still have a lot of great people in our lives that still help us," Lemons said.KMBC first spoke to Lemons in March. Since that time, the United Way has been working with the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office to verify who the shooting victims are and to make sure nobody who was involved in the incident would receive funding.The United Way also determined shooting victims would only be eligible for the KC Strong money."It goes really fast when you're talking about this significant amount of medical bills that the gunshot victims alone have. And then we also committed dollars to where community organizations that are doing incredible work in the areas of violence prevention, mental health, and also to assist first responders," said Kera Mashek of the United Way.After working with the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office, the United Way selected verified gunshot victims to receive claim applications.Those completed claim forms are due Wednesday.Lemons turned in his completed form on May 3."My hope is to actually be able to catch up on everything that we are behind on. We owe a lot of people that have been holding us because of what we've been going through," Lemons said.According to Mashek, attorneys will determine which claimants will receive money and how much money.She says selected victims are likely to receive tens of thousands of dollars for issues like medical bills, lost wages, and counseling.More on the #KCStrong fund: Chiefs parade day shooting victim looking for help after being struck by stray bulletFamily owned brewery contributing portion of sales to KC Strong FundCharlie Hustle t-shirt donating proceeds to the #KCStrong Fund raises over $50,000#KCStrong Fund, set up to assist victims of parade shooting, reaches $1 million milestoneNew Kansas City Chiefs T-shirt on sale benefits #KCStrong emergency response fundNFL's Carolina Panthers $25,000 donation among the highest made to #KCStrong fund#KCStrong parade shooting victims fund established by United Way in partnership with Chiefs
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Victims of the Chiefs parade shooting are closer to getting money to help with their recovery.
Shortly after the shooting, the United Way of Greater Kansas City started the KC Strong Fund.
That fund closed on April 30 with more than 4000 donors ranging from large corporations to individuals giving in excess of $1.8 million.
James Lemons was at the celebration on Feb. 14 with his wife Brandie, his 17-year-old daughter Kallie, his 10-year-old son Jackson, and his 5-year-old daughter Kensley when the gunfire erupted.
Lemons was shot in the leg.
A scan revealed he had four bullet fragments lodged in his muscle.
He's scheduled for surgery to have those fragments removed next week.
A warehouse worker, Lemons has been unable to work since he was shot.
"It's been kind of hard on us financially. We're still struggling, but we push through because we have no choice. You know, I'm saying we still have a lot of great people in our lives that still help us," Lemons said.
KMBC first spoke to Lemons in March.
Since that time, the United Way has been working with the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office to verify who the shooting victims are and to make sure nobody who was involved in the incident would receive funding.
The United Way also determined shooting victims would only be eligible for the KC Strong money.
"It goes really fast when you're talking about this significant amount of medical bills that the gunshot victims alone have. And then we also committed dollars to where community organizations that are doing incredible work in the areas of violence prevention, mental health, and also to assist first responders," said Kera Mashek of the United Way.
After working with the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office, the United Way selected verified gunshot victims to receive claim applications.
Those completed claim forms are due Wednesday.
Lemons turned in his completed form on May 3.
"My hope is to actually be able to catch up on everything that we are behind on. We owe a lot of people that have been holding us because of what we've been going through," Lemons said.
According to Mashek, attorneys will determine which claimants will receive money and how much money.
She says selected victims are likely to receive tens of thousands of dollars for issues like medical bills, lost wages, and counseling.
More on the #KCStrong fund:
