Renowned worldwide, Taylor Swift is leveraging her fame for a noble cause. The pop icon, currently in a widely-discussed relationship with Chiefs star Travis Kelce, has contributed $100,000 to support the family of a woman tragically killed during a mass shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory parade on Wednesday. The GoFundMe page for Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a local radio DJ who died in the shooting, had reached its $75,000 goal early Friday morning before Swift’s donation pushed it past that mark.
The 44-year-old, who hosted KKFI’s “Taste of Tejano” show, was the sole victim in the shooting that injured 20 more people and left two suspects in custody. Police say the incident was not terrorism-related, and they believe it stemmed from a dispute among fans.
When gunfire erupted, up to a million jubilant fans were at the celebration in the city’s Union Station. Witnesses described hearing up to a dozen shots fired from atop double-decker buses that were carrying the Chiefs and their champion NFL trophy. Fans crowded the streets along the parade route and climbed trees and street poles to better view the players as they rode through town on buses and in helicopters. Two suspects have been arrested, and police are urging witnesses or anyone who has cell phone video of the shooting to call a dedicated hotline.
While many fans had hoped Swift, who was in the suites to watch Sunday’s Super Bowl win with Kelce, would appear at Wednesday’s parade, she did not. The singer, a devoted Chiefs fan who has attended several of their playoff games this season, instead flew to Australia for the next leg of her Eras Tour. She performed Friday night in Melbourne (17 hours ahead of Kansas City), and a rep for the singer confirmed to Variety that the two donations — each worth $50,000 — that appear on the GoFundMe page were from Swift herself.
Swift has significantly contributed to relief efforts in her home state of Tennessee following the devastating tornadoes that hit last year. She has also made financial contributions to help those affected by natural disasters in other parts of the country, and she gave more than $5m to her team of truck drivers working on her record-breaking tour. In a message to Lopez-Galvan’s family on the GoFundMe page, Swift wrote: “Sending my deepest sympathies and condolences in the wake of your devastating loss. With love, Taylor Swift.”