Kiwi ‘shaking’ after mass shooting at Super Bowl parade

Thursday, 15 February 2024

A New Zealander who works for the Kansas City Chiefs has been caught up in the mass shooting during its Super Bowl victory parade.

Atipa Mabonga, from Otautau in Southland, was “shaking” but unhurt, her relieved Southland-based mother Fungai Mabonga said.

She understood Atipa was at Union Station, with the team, during the victory parade when the shooting took place.

Atipa contacted her mother at about 10.30am NZT on Thursday to tell her of the mass shooting.

She said she was back at the Kansas City Chiefs headquarters and safe.

Her mother, who had been unaware the shooting had taken place until receiving her daughter’s message, said she was grateful.

“As a parent you just want to know your child is okay.”

The Mabonga family moved from Zimbabwe to New Zealand about 20 years ago, when Atipa was four.

A talented athlete in jumping events, she initially went to the US on a scholarship before being employed by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021.

She told Stuff in 2022 she firstly worked as a social media assistant for the NFL giant before taking on the role of its influencer and culture coordinator, helping build the players’ and team’s brand in the US and globally.

One person died and at least 22 were injured, including 11 children, following the mass shooting at the victory parade, which was attended by thousands of fans.

Police said three people were in custody.

The Kansas City Chiefs players were safe and had returned to Arrowhead Stadium.