KANSAS CITY, KS — A grassroots gun-violence prevention group is offering counseling after a Kansas City, Kansas, school bus was struck by gunfire Monday morning, an incident that left one man dead and 10 students unharmed.
Kansas City, Kansas, police had not identified or caught the shooter by Tuesday evening. Moms Demand Action is telling people affected by the shooting to seek support through its Kansas chapter, which works with the Everytown Survivors Network.
Volunteer leader David Carttar said the episode was the kind of fear children should never have to face while simply heading to school.
Police are still searching after the bus shooting
According to Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department information, the bus was hit during what began as a routine school morning. The vehicle had 10 students aboard when bullets struck it, but none of the children were physically hurt.
Officers later found a dead man in connection with the shooting. Police have not said publicly how the man was tied to the incident or provided further details about the circumstances that led to the gunfire.
By Tuesday evening, investigators were still looking for the person who fired the shot or shots. The lack of an arrest has left families and school supporters waiting for answers while the case remains active.
Moms Demand Action points people to counseling and peer support
Moms Demand Action says anyone affected can contact its Kansas group by texting the word “Ready” to 64433. The organization is part of a broader network that offers peer support and mental health services to people dealing with the aftermath of gun violence.
Carttar said children exposed to a shooting like this may carry the memory for years. He said the emotional impact can affect their sense of security, their mental health and their daily lives long after the immediate danger has passed.
The group also says it works with local law enforcement agencies across Kansas, reflecting an approach that combines community outreach with public-safety efforts. Carttar said the goal is to help families while also building stronger ties in Kansas City, Kansas.
Carttar says gun violence prevention needs wider coordination
Carttar, who said he has spent 10 years with the organization, described gun violence prevention as a responsibility that extends beyond any one group. He said keeping children and neighborhoods safe requires community awareness, coordination and attention in the places where families live and learn.
He also linked that effort to public policy, saying voters should think carefully about the officials they choose. Carttar argued that elected leaders can help reduce gun violence by supporting laws aimed at keeping firearms away from people who should not have them.
His comments came as the organization continued trying to expand its presence in Kansas City, Kansas, where Monday’s shooting has heightened concern about violence around children.
Kansas gun violence data adds context to the shooting
Carttar pointed to 2024 information from EveryStat.org, which is operated by Everytown for Gun Safety. That data ranked Kansas 19th among the states for gun violence and estimated an average of 482 deaths each year.
Those figures were cited as part of the group’s broader effort to push for safer communities and stronger prevention measures. The numbers also underscore why advocates say shootings involving children can resonate far beyond the immediate scene.
For Moms Demand Action, the Kansas City, Kansas, incident is part of a larger public-safety problem rather than an isolated event. Carttar said he hopes the trend can move in a different direction soon.
A national movement with local chapters in every state
Moms Demand Action began the day after the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and has since grown into a nationwide network with chapters in every state and Washington, D.C. The group’s Kansas volunteers are now trying to deepen their work in the Kansas City area.
Carttar said he became involved about a decade ago, after his daughter left for college and he grew more concerned about guns on campus. Through that work, he said, he has met many people whose lives were directly changed by homicide or suicide.
He said his own family has not experienced that kind of loss, but the shooting on the school bus hit close to the fears that drew him into the movement. His hope, he said, is that children will no longer have to fear getting on a school bus.
