The mother of Lyndell Mays, one of the two individuals charged with murder in connection to the Kansas City Chiefs’ parade shooting, has initiated a GoFundMe campaign on his behalf.
Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced on Tuesday that Mays and Dominic M. Miller of Kansas City were facing charges of second-degree felony murder, armed criminal action, and unlawful use of a weapon for their alleged involvement in the incident resulting in the death of bystander Lisa Lopez-Galvan during the Super Bowl victory parade.
Teneal Burnside, Mays’ mother, posted a photo on the GoFundMe page showing her son in a hospital bed with a breathing tube, appealing for donations to assist with his medical expenses during this tumultuous period.
“He’s in ICU fighting for a recovery from several surgeries, from going to the Chiefs Super Bowl celebration parade with his older sister to getting shot multiple times, a time that was meant to bring so much joy to many has brought so much pain and sadness to all that was attending,” Burnside wrote in the fundraiser’s description.
Mays’ sister asserted to DailyMail.com that he is “innocent” and was merely “protecting her.”
“For them to portray my brother as a monster really hurts me because he was only trying to protect us,” she explained.
“He doesn’t deserve to be painted in that light. My brother is tall and broad, he’s hefty. They were young kids and little guys, trying to prove a point. They had been staring at him and approached us, walking closer. We noticed they had guns in their pockets.”
Reports indicate that Mays admitted to police that he was the first to brandish a firearm, escalating the situation, which resulted in over 20 individuals being wounded and Lopez-Galvan’s tragic death.
Mays reportedly acknowledged, “Just pulled a gun out and started shooting. I shouldn’t have done that. Just being stupid,” to law enforcement officials.
However, Miller, according to police accounts, was purportedly responsible for Lopez-Galvan’s fatal shooting.
TMZ reported Mays’ release from the hospital on Tuesday evening before his apprehension. The family later removed the GoFundMe page out of concern for potential repercussions, having collected only $100.
“What was he supposed to do with those guys coming up to him with semi-automatic weapons?” Mays’ father questioned, emphasizing, “Our son is not that kind of guy; he’s a kind-hearted guy who got caught up in a bad situation. He got scared because of those guns.”
