When the Filter family set off from Wichita, Kan. for the recent Super Bowl LVIII celebration in Kansas City for the Chiefs, the whole family was excited to be among tens of thousands of other Chiefs fans cheering on the champions.
Trey Filter, his wife, Casey and their two sons, ages 12 and 15, also had gone to the Chief’s parade in 2023 when they won Super Bowl LVII, and the Filter family was looking forward to another chance to celebrate a Chief’s victory.
But the family never imagined the terrifying shootings that occurred at the end of the parade near Union Station.
When the Filter family first heard the gunshots, they, like many people thought they were fireworks. They were leaving and heading to their car when the shots went off. They couldn’t actually see much of what was going on as the shooters fired into the crowds.
When asked about his first thoughts when Trey realized that gunshots were being fired, he said, “Everything was happening so fast, it is hard to say.”
He soon realized that some of the shooters were being chased.
“I was under the impression the police were chasing them, because they passed us once before being chased, and then came back the opposite direction towards us as we walked,” Trey said. “They were running fast. It was obvious the police did not want these people to keep running.”
He heard people in the crowd shouting “Get him” and that was what prompted him to act quickly and tackle the man.
“People were yelling ‘get him,’ so that’s what we did,” Trey said. Chief’s fan, Paul Contreras, who was standing near Trey, also helped tackle the man and hold him down.
Trey’s wife and children were close by and witnessed Trey’s quick response to the threatening situation. “They were all three watching it all happen trying to also wrap their heads around it.”
Trey didn’t know the man had dropped a gun when he was tackled, so he was just focused on keeping him down on the ground.
“For all I knew, the gun could have been right in his waist at that moment,” Trey said. “I just didn’t know where it was, or if there was more than one. Some people saw a gun while he was running and some saw one fall from his person as he was tackled. My wife grabbed the gun that the man dropped when he was tackled. She moved it over to a concrete barrier that was close by. She was very happy and grateful nothing more happened.”
The shooting resulted in 22 people injured, with half of that number under the age of 16. Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a mother of two from Kansas City, died at the scene.
After the traumatic event, and on their trip back to Wichita, Trey said he and his wife and kids really didn’t know how to feel about what had happened. “It was very emotional,” Trey said.
When he realized that he had kept the shooter from killing and injuring others at the celebration, Trey said his family was just grateful and blessed to make it home safely.
Trey’s heroic actions at the shooting have received press coverage from around the world. “It’s been humbling to say the least,” Trey said.
Being in the location he was in and being able to prevent others from being harmed has earned the gratitude of not only those attending the event, but also from those who have learned of the shooting through media sources.
“I’m grateful that nothing more happened,” Trey said. “The intentions of a person, bringing weapons of that sort to what was supposed to be a celebration, could not have been good. There was no reason for them to be there.”
Trey also believes this is an event his sons will always remember, and feel pride that they watched their dad’s and mom’s heroic efforts, risking their own lives to save others.“They are very proud boys,” Trey said.
And if the Chiefs win another Super Bowl in 2025, Trey said he and his family will definitely be back to Kansas City to celebrate.