Heroic dads speak out after tackling suspected Kansas Chiefs parade shooter and feeding him a series of punches



Kansas City Chiefs fans took to the streets of their hometown Wednesday to celebrate their team's Super Bowl victory. The merriment and festivities were cut short when at least one armed thug opened fire west of Union Station, killing a mother of two and wounding 21 others — including nine children.

The atrocity could very well have claimed more victims were it not for the prompt and reflexive bravery of a pair of dads who ran down the alleged gunman and tested his tolerance for punches.

Trey Filter and Paul Contreras, previously unknown to one another, both stressed that inaction was never an option: "It was just: just do it."

The shooting

The Kansas City Missouri Police Department indicated that the shooting started around 2 p.m. Wednesday, west of Union Station, where a stage was set up for speeches made by team players.

Blaze News previously reported that footage of the incident shared online shows panicked fans fleeing the sound of gunshots.

Twenty-two people were struck by bullets. Police noted that eight of the victims were left with "immediately life-threatening" wounds, seven with "life-threatening" gunshot wounds, and six with minor injuries.

A spokeswoman for Children's Mercy Kansas City told KSHB-TV that 11 children had been taken to the hospital with injuries, nine of whom had gunshot wounds.

Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a 44-year-old radio disc jockey and a mother of two, was fatally struck in the abdomen.

Lopez-Galvan's radio station, KKFI 90.1 FM, said in a statement, "It is with sincere sadness and an extremely heavy and broken heart that we let our community know that KKFI DJ Lisa Lopez-Galvan, host of Taste of Tejano, lost her life today in the shooting at the KC Chiefs' rally. Our hearts and prayers are with her family."

The Kansas City Star reported that the local mother of two may actually have been the second fatality in the mass shooting; she died after the 3:30 p.m. Wednesday press conference wherein police noted that one person had already died.

Three suspects were taken into custody, and at least one gun was recovered from the scene. According to the KCMPD's initial report, police had detained two armed suspects. FBI Kansas City said Wednesday evening the shooting "may have involved multiple actors."

"We do not have a motive, but we are asking those who may potentially have any kind of information, a witness or video, to contact police," KCMPD Chief Stavey Graves said Wednesday.

Off-season tackles

Trey Filter was with his wife and two sons when gunshots rang out and the multitudes of people surrounding them began to duck for cover. Then someone yelled, "Get him!" he told the New York Post.

"My brain tells me, 'That must be him,'" recalled Filter. "I literally remember when I was tackling him, 'I sure hope this is who they were yelling at me to get.' Because I just went, 'Boom!' ... I really don't recall seeing him coming."

— (@)

Although Filter managed to leap onto the alleged shooter and bring him to the ground, the suspected gunman managed to wiggle free.

That's when another dad with a zero-tolerance policy for evil stepped in to help.

KETV-TV reported that Paul Contreras of Bellevue, Nebraska, was with his three daughters when they heard what they figured to be fireworks. However, when it became clear that the crackling sound was gunfire and that the alleged shooter was on the loose, his parental instincts went into high gear.

Contreras reportedly spotted another man chasing down a suspect and yelling for someone to assist.

"I didn't think about it," Contreras told KETV. "It's just a reaction. I didn't hesitate. It was just: just do it."

"So I went to go tackle him and another gentleman did the same thing," continued Contreras. "And as I'm tackling him, I see his weapon either fall out of his hand or out of his sleeve, 'cause he was wearing a long jacket."

Trey Filter's wife, Casey, lunged for the weapon after it hit the ground and attempted to secure it, reported the Post. Filter suggested the weapon was an AK-47 rifle, though police have not confirmed the make and model.

"So when I see that hit the ground, I'm like, 'Oh, you know. We gotta take this guy down,'" added Contreras.

The Nebraska dad said that he and the other "Good Samaritan" held the suspect down for what "seemed like forever, but it probably ... was like 30 seconds" until police arrived.

— (@)

When Filter saw Contreras wrestling with the suspected gunman in the dirt, he leaped back into action and began feeding him punches.

"I don't know if I knocked him out when I tackled him or what, but I had him squeezed so hard he might have been passed out all the time for all I know. I just started racking him in his ribs," Filter told the Post. "I was just yelling, 'F your gun!' and I was just hitting him in his ribs. It was great. You know, America stuff."

While Filter stuffed the suspect's breadbasket with knuckle sandwiches, Contreras reportedly went to work on the alleged gunman's face.

"The whole time he's fighting to get up and run away," said Contreras. "We're fighting each other, you know. We're fighting to keep him down and he's fighting to get up."

After police made the arrest and nearby witnesses applauded the dads' efforts, Filter told his boys, "Get your mother, we're getting the f*** out of here."

CNN indicated that it remains unclear whether the man subdued by Contreras and Filter was among the three ultimately reported detained.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Christian students work with airman to save mother and children pinned under car: 'Oh, thank God, the kids are good'



A mother and her two children were run over by a car in the parking lot of a Christian school in Layton, Utah, last week. Between the initial trauma and the weight of the vehicle pinning them to the asphalt, the Ponson family was facing the possibility of a Christmastime tragedy; however, such was evidently not meant to be.

Nearby, there was an airman from Hill Air Force Base and dozens of capable kids, all ready to help.

"It's a miracle," Chris Crowder, associate pastor and CEO of the school, told KSL-TV. "We have just seen God do so many things here, and this is one of them."

The incident occurred just before 4 p.m. on Dec. 5 in the parking lot outside Layton Christian Academy and Christian Life Center. Bridgette Ponson was walking with her 2-year-old son, Archer, and her 3-year-old daughter, Brightly, when a driver headed west ran them over.

Police suggested it was likely an accident, indicating that the driver may have been unable to see the victims on account of the sun, reported KTSU-TV.

While the little girl was able to wriggle free, her mother and brother remained pinned under the vehicle.

Crowder indicated he summoned students inside the school to help the mother and child.

"I didn't really know what was going on," said Crowder. "I looked across the parking lot and noticed the car and they were screaming, and so I ran over there and I look under the car and I see mom and child underneath the car pinned. ... I immediately just ran into the building because I knew I had to get a lot of people to lift this car."

Around twenty kids answered the call to action.

Surveillance footage shows kids rushing out and attempting to lift the vehicle.

— (@)

"I walked out, there was a lot of commotion going on and people were just telling me to help and I just dropped my stuff and ran over," student Theophious Roach told KTSU.

Senior Airman Dominique Childress was picking up his children from the school when his son's kindergarten teacher alerted him to the commotion outside. Childress immediately bolted over and provided the rescue effort with some seasoned brawn.

"I noticed legs come out and I was like, 'Oh, my gosh, there's an actual child under this car,' so I was like, 'Hey, guys, switch it up, let's get the car high enough so we can get the kid out,'" Childress recalled. "Somebody came, pulled the kid out and mom was able to get out 15 seconds later."

One of the student rescuers, Junior Saripsat, said, "We did our best, and the moment I heard the kids crying I was like, 'Oh, thank God, the kids are good."

Archer Ponson was airlifted to Primary Children's Hospital. His mother and sister were taken to a hospital by ambulance.

KSL indicated the mother, who is said to have been protecting her little boy in her arms, had to have multiple surgeries. Her children, however, suffered no broken bones. All three are expected to recover.

A GoFundMe campaign set up on the family's behalf to help the Ponsons cover their medical expenses has nearly hit its $35,000 goal.

Crowder said, "The kids were heroes, as well as the gentleman that was there and pulled them out."

Layton Christian Academy stated, "We are so proud of the LCA student body. They leaped into action to save the lives of a mom and her two kids who were pinned under a car. Proud of you all."

The father of the children, Andrew Ponson, met with the students who saved his family Monday. The heroic kids were also surprised at school by members of the Utah Jazz, who gave them tickets to the Dec. 30 home game versus the Miami Heat, reported KTSU.

Childress, who similarly received tickets to the game as thanks for his hand in the rescue operation, stressed that the students "are the purest form of the word hero."

Layton Christian Academy notes on its mission and values page, "We instill a spirit of service and compassion in our students, encouraging them to use their talents and resources to make a difference in the lives off others." Mission accomplished.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The Dearth Of Historical Fiction Is A Disservice To Curious Kids Everywhere

Historical fiction is a gateway to the past, where young readers connect with characters living and dealing in the nuances of those times.

Are We Forgetting?: Prosecutors Consider Plea Deal For Suspected Architects Of 9/11 Attacks

Architects of the attacks of Sept. 11 may be spared the death penalty under a new plea deal being floated by the federal government.

WATCH: Hero cop saves life of baby who stopped breathing on busy highway



A Michigan police officer is being heralded as a hero for saving the life of a child who wasn't breathing during a traffic stop.

Around 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, a police officer pulled over a Chevrolet Camaro speeding around 80 mph in a 45 mph zone.

Warren Police Department officer Brendan Fraser, "I thought he was racing somebody, or maybe he was trying to get away from something."

Once the Camaro was pulled over, the driver and passenger frantically explained that the 18-month-old baby in the car wasn't breathing and they were rushing the boy to a nearby hospital.

The driver yelled, "Help, help, we got a baby here dying!"

Fraser explained, "And then, really, now it made sense when he handed his baby over. He's headed to the hospital that's about three-quarters of a mile away."

Police dashcam footage shows the driver waving his arms and screaming.

"We took him to the hospital and they said he had COVID. And then he just started seizing," the child's mother told the officer.

Officer Fraser is seen on video taking the child out of the vehicle. He noticed that the baby was turning blue and his eyes were rolled into the back of his head.

Fraser picked up the boy and administered several blows to the baby's back. The blows caused the baby to spit up and cleared the baby's airway.

The baby started breathing again.

Fraser attempted to calm the panicked relatives, "He's breathing, look at him, he’s OK."

Fraser said, "It was a big relief, for sure. When the child started breathing, and you saw the color come back around its lips."

Additional officers arrived at the scene and rushed the baby to a local hospital, and was later transferred to St. John Hospital. The baby has been released from the hospital and is recovering with his family.

Officials did not reveal what was wrong with the young child.

Fraser said, "Just happened to be in the right place at the right time."

"Officer Fraser's actions on this traffic stop are nothing short of heroic," Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer said in a statement, according to the Detroit News. "This incident shows that police work and traffic stops are not always about writing tickets or making arrests."

"In this case, what started off as a traffic stop for speeding resulted in Officer Fraser saving a child’s life," the commissioner said. "Officer Fraser relied on his training, communication skills, and compassion as he worked to resuscitate the child. He was also able to calm down the child’s family members who were understandably frantic over the situation."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Dramatic rescue of baby caught on police bodycam www.youtube.com


Honoring the cops and K-9s who gave their lives to preserve our safety



If you’ve never heard of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., Mark Levin thinks it's about time you did.

The Memorial was established in 1984 and is a non-profit and non-partisan organization that honors thousands of U.S. law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty.

Unfortunately, that number keeps growing.

The memorial is a living memorial, which means names are added each year — and this year, it had to expand the wall to accommodate the growing number of law enforcement officers who have lost their lives.

Not only does the memorial honor fallen officers but fallen K-9s who served officers. 25 K-9s were killed on duty in 2022.

One of those K-9s, Axel, was chasing an armed suspect with his partner Josh Clendenin. The suspect shot Axel, who later died at the hospital.

Levin plays a news clip that features three men from eastern Kentucky who were recently honored in our nation's capital.

Captain Ralph Frazier, Deputy William Petrie, and Jacob Chaffin were all killed in the line of duty last June when they were ambushed in the community they were trying to protect.

“Other lawlessness in our streets, now, it looks like a war zone. And these men gave their lives. Systemic heroes, that’s what they are,” Levin comments.

“It’s real wild, wild west out there. And the answer is not to disarm the good guys; the answer is to get the bad guys,” he adds.


Want more from Mark Levin?

To enjoy more of "the Great One" — Mark Levin as you've never seen him before — subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Video: Knife-wielding criminal threatens shoppers at South Carolina Walmart until veteran unleashes ferocious comeuppance



A viral video shows a military veteran unleashing a world of hurt on a knife-wielding man who was threatening shoppers and employees at a South Carolina Walmart.

Last Wednesday, an unstable man was threatening shoppers inside a Walmart store in Columbia. Customers were taken aback by a man brandishing a knife and yelling at everyone in the store. One woman recorded video of the unnerving incident.

An individual calmly approached the troubled individual in an attempt to quash the potentially dangerous situation. The unhinged person screamed at the peacemaker and began swinging the pocket knife around. The man attempted to snatch the knife from the hostile individual, but failed to take away the weapon. This angered the man even more so, and he swiped the knife at the other man's face.

Demario Davis was shopping at the Walmart with his son when he heard the commotion.

"I was at the checkout when my son noticed the guy walk in with the knife open," Davis said, according to the New York Post. "He then proceeded to the service desk waving the knife at a few female employees."

The man allegedly screamed, "When the cops get here, I’m going to start cutting you all up."

"As I'm walking towards the area where the gentleman waving the knife is terrorizing other customers and employees," Davis said he saw the armed man attempt to cut the other man, prompting home to spring into action.

Davis told Fox News, "Another customer tried to subdue the gentleman waving the knife, but the guy tried to cut him in the face. That's when my military training kicked in, and I casually walked over to the object not only to take him down but also protect myself in case I failed, but with my great military training, I was able to neutralize the threat until law enforcement arrived."

Davis grabbed a stanchion, swung the weighted pole over his head, and bludgeoned the knife-wielding man in the back. The ferocious comeuppance caused the man to crash to the ground and drop the weapon. Another customer rushed over to confiscate the knife. Customers held the man on the ground until police arrived at the crime scene.

Video shows the suspect on the ground as he was being arrested by two deputies from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. The man attempted to resist arrest, but officers quickly handcuffed the suspect.

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department said the man was taken to a hospital for evaluation.

A woman is heard on the video saying that the man threatened to stab people because he wanted $20.

Davis explained, "My first instinct was to neutralize the situation, so I just casually walked over and waited until I had an opportunity to get him, and I got 'em, I guess."

He added, "I'm a community person, so if I see something in the community that’s not right, with all the violence and things and attacks going on, gun violence, you know, you want your people in the community to step up as well."

Davis said sometimes citizens have to become vigilantes because "the cops can't do it all by themselves."

Davis revealed, "I have received so many heartfelt comments and compliments from civilians and veterans all over for my brave act and quick response."

CAUTION: Graphic video

WATCH: Veteran takes down knife-wielding man in South Carolina Walmart | New York Post www.youtube.com

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

70-year-old Marine veteran fighting for his life after braving devastating rowhouse explosion to rescue strangers



A 70-year-old Marine veteran from Maryland is fighting for his life after valiantly storming into a rowhouse that exploded so that he could rescue two strangers from the devastating blast.

Terry Bagley was walking to the local market in the Pigtown neighborhood in Baltimore to purchase some items for his family's Thanksgiving meal when an explosion erupted at a rowhouse around 2 p.m. on Thursday. Bagley jumped into action and bravely ran into the fiery building, looking for anyone who needed assistance in escaping. The explosion destroyed one rowhouse and damaged several others.

Bagley was able to rescue a 16-year-old girl and a 48-year-old woman from the burning building. However, Bagley was severely injured from the incredible rescue mission. Firefighters pulled Bagley out of the rubble of the rowhouse that was leveled by a severe explosion.

The woman and the girl are said to be in stable condition, but Bagley is in critical condition and is in a medically induced coma. Bagley suffered a broken pelvis, broken femur, and broken hand, according to his daughter.

The hero's daughter, Eris Bagley, told WBAL-TV that her father risked his own life to save strangers "because he's a Marine."

"He thought nothing about his own life to save two women that he did not know," she said.

"My dad endured polio as a child. He also endured the thing with Camp Lejeune with toxic water, and he also served in the Vietnam War," she said. "(He was) heroic, but I wish he didn't do it because now I'm scared that I am about to lose him. But I'm glad he did it to save people he didn't know."

Terry Bagley Jr. said, "It was a brave thing for him to do, especially at his age being 70 years old. When I see him looking, sometimes, lifeless, it scares me because I don't know if he hears me when I'm talking, and I see some action with his fingers moving and stuff like that. But at the end of the day, I'm still scared because anything could go wrong."

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help pay for Bagley's medical bills.

Bagley is a married father of five who works housekeeping at the Veterans Affairs hospital.

Neighbors had been complaining of a strong odor of natural gas days before the explosion.

The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.

Marine veteran in coma after trying to rescue explosion victims www.youtube.com

Video: 'Hero' Indiana man saved 4 children from blazing house fire: God 'used me like his instrument that night'



An Indiana man is being hailed as a hero for saving five people, including four children, from a raging house fire.

Around 12:30 a.m. on Monday, Nick Bostic was driving home and noticed that a house was on fire. He immediately pulled into the driveway and ran to the back of the home.

Bostic told WXIN, "I saw the fire on the balcony so I slammed on the brakes, pulled in the driveway, and ran into the house from the back. I was hollering ‘Is there anybody in there?’"

Bostic busted into the burning home. The 25-year-old Lafayette man helped three children – as young as 2 years old – and their 18-year-old sister escape the inferno. However, the group told him that there was still a 6-year-old child trapped in the smoldering home.

The fire had grown in size, and the smoke made it difficult to see and breathe.

"The smoke just came out of nowhere. It was pitch black, pitch black. The heat was excruciating," Bostic explained.

Emergency personnel said they couldn't enter the blazing home because of the "intensity of the fire."

"Nicholas wrapped his shirt around his mouth and nose and plunged into the blackness," the city of Lafayette said in a statement. "He described it as so black that he couldn’t see anything in front of him, and the heat from the fire made it seem as if he was walking into an oven."

He was able to locate the 6-year-old girl, but the only exit available was through a window on the second floor.

"I grabbed her and held her snug and I ran up those stairs like a running back for the Colts. I jumped out that window," Bostic said. “I was just pushing time on its edge. I was pushing its limit, literally pushed its limit to the last millisecond. I just got lucky."

Bostic broke the window by punching the glass with his bare hands.

Dramatic police bodycam video shows the moment that Bostic emerged from the daunting scene carrying the child away from the blaze.

Lafayette body camera footage of fire rescue www.youtube.com

Bodycam footage shows an officer tending to Bostic's injuries, including applying a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.

Bostic asks emergency personnel, "Is the baby OK? Please tell me that baby's OK."

\u201cMORE:\n\nBostic: "Is the baby OK? Please tell me that baby's OK."\u201d
— Joe Paul (@Joe Paul) 1657827105

Police noted that the 6-year-old was "miraculously mostly uninjured."

Bostic was seriously injured in the frantic rescue, suffering from severe smoke inhalation, burns, and cuts on his arms and legs. Bostic was flown to a hospital in Indianapolis. Bostic has since been released after several days of treatment.

"The front of my hand, it's cut up pretty bad," Bostic said. "They rewrapped it before I left. But I got a cut right here, a possible severed tendon. The bottom of my hands are blistered like I grabbed something hot. I recall seeing flames through the window as I was punching it out."

"Waking up every morning I have something to remind me of why I'm here, still alive. Why God keeps me here," Bostic told News 18, according to Fox News. "He used me like his instrument that night."

Bostic was recognized for his heroic actions by the Lafayette Police Department, the Lafayette Fire Department, and Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski.

“Nicholas Bostic’s heroic actions saved lives. His selflessness during this incident is inspiring, and he has impressed many with his courage, tenacity, and steadfast calmness in the face of such perilous danger,” the city of Lafayette said in a statement.

The fire was ruled accidental, but is still under investigation.

Lafayette man rescues 5 people from burning home www.youtube.com

Educate Your Kids In American History With ‘Heroes Of Liberty’

A series of children’s books entitled ‘Heroes of Liberty’ promotes patriotic role models for young students.