JUST IN: Friend of KC Super Bowl parade shooting suspect says gunman was trying to protect him from other suspect

The friend of one of the suspects who opened fire at the Kansas City Super Bowl parade has claimed that the gunman was only trying to protect him.

Marques Harris said that Dominic Miller only started shooting after the other suspect, Lyndell Mays, fired his gun toward them.

In an interview with FOX4, Harris explained that Mays had been staring down his 15-year-old little brother, at which point the teen asked Mays if there was a problem. When Mays started talking trash about his brother, Harris stepped in.

“I pushed my little brother out the way," he said. "As soon as I pushed my little brother out of the way, the dude stepped forward and proceeded to shoot me. I seen the firearm, and I turned and then he hit me in the back of the neck and went through my lip as I was turning away from him."

Harris expressed his condolences to the deceased victim, Lisa Lopez, and the nearly two dozen injured, saying, "This was not intentional. It happened out of nowhere. It was an accidental situation, literally."

Mays admitted that he pulled his gun first, and began firing first, but "hesitated shooting because he knew there were kids there."

He said that because he figured everyone in the group "could have had guns," he "just randomly picked one of the individuals to target because he was in fear of Witness 9's life." It is unclear who Witness 9 refers to.

When asked why he moved towards the group in the first place, Mays said, "Stupid, man. Just pulled a gun out and started shooting. I shouldn't have done that. Just being stupid."

Miller and Mays were both hospitalized following the shooting and have remained there since. The pair have been charged with second-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action and unlawful use of weapons. They are being held on $1 million bond.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.