KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The woman shot and killed at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory celebration left a big impact on her community. Lisa Lopez-Galvan was far more than a radio DJ – she was an advocate for Latinos in her home city and a mom.
A big piece of the community is hurting without Lopez-Galvan in it. No one expects this to happen – for confetti to cover up a crime scene.
But even as Kansas City celebrated the idea of another championship parade coming to town, that excitement was mixed with caution. Even Lopez-Galvan warned her radio listeners to celebrate in style but to also stay cautious in the big party atmosphere.
"We're champions! All us Kansas Citians, champions that are going to celebrate the victory of Sunday's game," said Lopez-Galvan the day before the parade. "Please be careful everybody gettin' down here, leaving and let's be safe."
"Shock! Totally shocked," said friend Joe Arce. "When I say shocked, it's not just coming from me, it's from the community as a whole and we have to be there for them as well."
Arce owns and writes for the Kansas City Hispanic News, a weekly community paper. His paper once featured Lopez-Galvan and her dad, who are part of a well-known musical family.
"I've known her pretty much all of her life," said Arce. "Even though we're not related, community-wise we're related."
Lopez-Galvan, a mother of two, did more than play music. She advocated for the Latino community and even promoted a fundraiser for Arce's daughter.
"She was diagnosed with COVID and it then turned into pneumonia and she nearly died and..." Arce said as he began to cry. "They had a fundraiser for her and Lisa Lopez stepped up and said I want to help and thank God my daughter lived."
Nothing can change what happened, but Lopez-Galvan's colleagues know that through the hurt, the city can heal.
"We are all saddened about the events that happened yesterday and especially impacted KKFI and our loss personally," said KKFI radio host Tommy Andrade. "But we will recover, we will go forward and we will continue."
"This senseless act has taken a beautiful person from her family and this KC Community," KKFI posted on Facebook.
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