Nine injured – Nine adults were taken to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries after a shooting on Troost Avenue in Kansas City early Saturday, triggering a major police response close to England’s World Cup training base and hotel.
By the time the 4 a.m. noise had faded, Kansas City was already dispersing in a way that didn’t fit a normal night before football’s biggest summer. Nine people were ultimately left injured after a shooting on Troost Avenue, a short drive from where England are preparing for the World Cup.
Kansas City Police Department captain Jake Becchina confirmed that officers were dispatched after shots were heard being fired. When they arrived, there was a large crowd breaking apart near the scene, police moved quickly to secure the area while the emergency response continued.
Three adult females who were injured at the location were rushed to a local hospital by emergency services. It later emerged that nine adults in total had gone to various local hospitals suffering from non-life threatening injuries.
No suspects were reported in custody. Even so, law enforcement officers continued to heavily patrol the area as the investigation carried on.
Troost Avenue sits about four miles from the England squad’s training base and team hotel. where the Three Lions are expected to be stationed during the early stages of the World Cup. That proximity has sharpened the unease around England’s buildup. with the team scheduled to arrive in Kansas City just days after the incident.
England will train at Swope Soccer Village, home of Sporting KC’s reserve team and academy. The squad is currently in West Palm Beach, Florida for World Cup preparations.
The shooting lands on the eve of a tight sporting schedule. England played New Zealand in Tampa on Saturday afternoon, winning their first warm-up friendly 1-0. The goal came from captain Harry Kane. Next up. England face Costa Rica on Wednesday afternoon at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando before flying to Kansas City on June 13.
The wider backdrop in Kansas City is hard to ignore: the city recorded 138 homicides in 2025, down from a record 185 in 2023. During a visit last month, mayor Quinton Lucas said he believed England’s threats and risk would be met with a strong law enforcement presence.
Lucas said the risks for people walking around in the city were heightened by the availability of firearms. adding that there would be “a strong law enforcement presence everywhere. ” and that VIPs would be among the safest people in Kansas City and the wider country—supported by their own security teams and enhanced local policing.
Now, with the World Cup camp drawing closer and the Troost Avenue investigation still active, the question for everyone watching England’s arrival is simple: how quickly can normal safeguards reassert themselves when the opening moments of tournament preparation are punctured by violence?
Kansas City Troost Avenue England World Cup Swope Soccer Village Sporting KC Harry Kane New Zealand Costa Rica Inter&Co Stadium shooting injuries