Tony Janssens: Heroic veteran recounts 'dead pursuit' in chasing down Kansas City Chiefs parade shooter

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI: Navy veteran Tony Janssens found himself relying on his military training to tackle suspects involved in a Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory parade shooting.

The lifelong Chiefs fan recounted the chaos when Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a mother of two who co-hosted KKFI's 'A Taste of Tejano' was killed and nearly 22 others were wounded during the gunfire on Wednesday, February 14, afternoon in Union Station.

The startling shift from fireworks to fear

Janssens described how the initial gunshots were mistaken by some for fireworks, but his military instincts immediately kicked in. "It didn’t sound like fireworks to me," he recalled. "And then I heard another couple of rounds go off, and then that’s when I dropped to the ground again," Fox reported.

As Janssens assessed the situation, he observed a wounded individual on the ground with bullet holes, shocked to see others in the crowd attempting to record the unfolding drama. "Like, this is real life. You need to get out of here. Like, don’t just sit here and try to record or anything. So I’m telling people to, ‘Leave! Leave! Leave!'," he emphasized.

Amid the chaos, Janssens inadvertently encountered the three suspects, one of whom had a severe facial injury. "He’s basically missing his jaw, and he’s freaking out," the veteran said of the injured suspect. "He doesn’t know what to do. And then his buddies are kind of scrambling," he said.

Drawing on his military training, Janssens carefully monitored the wounded suspect's actions. "I saw him hand over a bag to the other two individuals that he was with. And I see them kind of run — trying to take off and try to escape," he explained.

Tony Janssens leads the charge in pursuit of Kansas City parade shooters

Janssens, noting a suspicious detail, alerted a state trooper about the group. "‘I think these guys might be part of it. They just kind of look fishy,’" he informed the officer. The ensuing pursuit saw the veteran and law enforcement chasing the suspects, with Janssens taking charge in directing the officer towards the fleeing individuals.

"I’m jumping barricades, we’re running down the street, and I’m trying to clear people out the way. I’m yelling as I’m chasing after him, ‘Get this guy! Get this guy!’" Janssens recounted. With the assistance of other individuals, he successfully tackled one of the suspects, urging others to join in the effort.

"As they were tackling him, I think I saw another guy was running away as well. So I kept chasing that guy, and then it was just a dead pursuit. So I hurried back and helped these guys try to sustain the situation until cops arrived," he added.

Two of the 3 suspects were juveniles

When the situation was finally under control, Janssens discovered a bag containing an AR-style rifle and extended magazines, raising concerns about the potential use in the mass shooting. Reflecting on the unexpected turn of events, he emphasized the need for enhanced security measures if the Chiefs secure another Super Bowl victory.

"I’m more than confident that Kansas City will come together, you know, try to get past and work together with everyone, get answers and just try to, you know, mitigate these things from happening again," Janssens concluded. Reportedly, three individuals are now in custody, and among them, two are minors, according to officials.