Nine people were injured in a shooting on Troost Avenue in Kansas City early Saturday, just a short drive from the training base and hotel England's World Cup squad will use during the tournament's opening stages.
Police were called to the scene at around 4 a.m. after shots were reported, launching a major emergency response. The Kansas City Police Department confirmed officers were dispatched after shots were heard and arrived to find a large crowd dispersing.
Three adult women injured at the scene were rushed to a local hospital by emergency services. In total, nine adults went to various hospitals with non-life threatening injuries. No suspects are currently in custody, though officers are continuing to patrol the area heavily as the investigation continues.
Troost Avenue sits about four miles from the training base and team hotel where England's squad will stay during the early stages of the World Cup.
Bullet hits nearby home
Local resident Kate Fowler, who lives a short distance from Troost Avenue, said she woke up to find a bullet hole in the front of her home and a stray bullet in her living room. She shared images of the bullet shell and the damage on Facebook.
Security funding and city response
Kansas City recorded 138 homicides in 2025, down from a record 185 in 2023. This week, according to KCTV5, the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners accepted a $17 million federal grant for World Cup security and safety.
KCPD Deputy Chief Derek McCollum said the department knew it needed the funding and kept moving forward with planning, adding that officials figured the funding source would eventually come through, according to the KCTV5 report.
When Daily Mail Sport visited last month, Mayor Quinton Lucas promised the Three Lions would be well looked after. The Democrat said the threats people face are heightened when almost everybody can carry a firearm, particularly a high capacity one, calling it a very real problem. He said there would be a strong law enforcement presence everywhere, and that VIPs would be among the safest people in the city and the country, protected by their own security teams as well as enhanced local law enforcement support.
England's World Cup preparations
The incident comes just days before England are set to arrive in Kansas City, having been based in West Palm Beach, Florida for recent World Cup preparations. England beat New Zealand 1-0 in Tampa on Saturday afternoon in their first World Cup warm-up friendly, with the winning goal scored by captain Harry Kane.
England will next face Costa Rica on Wednesday afternoon at the Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, before flying to Kansas City on June 13. During the opening stages of the tournament, they will train at Swope Soccer Village, home of Sporting KC's reserve team and academy.
Argentina will use Sporting Kansas City's main training facility, while the Netherlands will train at the base used by the Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League.