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U.S. NEWS Saturday 26 May 2018

Teacher who confronted Indiana school shooter lauded as hero

By RICK CALLAHAN that killed eight students didn't confirm accounts of varro said he was inside an Jennifer Morris, who was
Associated Press and two teachers, and the teacher tackling the auditorium when he heard among the worried parents
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (AP) — months after the school at- student or describe the several gunshots about a who rushed to get their kids,
An Indiana middle school tack that killed 17 people in role of the resource officer minute before the bell rang appeared slightly dazed
student armed with two Parkland, Florida. The Flori- who was stationed at the for the change in classes. and said she was at work
handguns opened fire in- da attack inspired students school. "The speaker came on and when her 14-year-old son
side his science classroom from that school and others When asked to elaborate said we were on lockdown sent a text message about
Friday, authorities said, throughout the country to on his praise of the re- and people rushed in and the shooting, stunning her.
wounding a classmate and call for more restrictions on sponse, Indiana State Po- we went to the back of the "He said, 'I'm OK, please
a teacher whose swift inter- access to guns. lice Superintendent Doug room. I went into this little come get me.' That was
vention was credited with Seaman's brother, Jeremy Carter said: "Wait 'til one room in the back with three probably 20 minutes after it
saving lives. Seaman, told The India- day we can tell you that other people," he said happened," Morris said. "It's
The shooter, who had napolis Star that his brother story. You'll be proud of calmly standing between like a bad dream. I don't
asked to be dismissed from was shot three times and them, too." his parents as they picked know how you get the kids
the class before return- was undergoing surgery. Eighth-grader Chris Na- him up. through this. q
ing with the guns, was ar- He said he was conscious
rested "extremely quickly" after the shooting and talk-
after the incident around ed with his wife, telling her
9 a.m. at Noblesville West he was OK.
Middle School, police Chief Jeremy Seaman, who now
Kevin Jowitt said. Authori- lives in Arizona, said his
ties didn't release his name brother was a defensive
or say whether he had end for Southern Illinois Uni-
been in trouble before but versity's football team and
indicated he likely acted has never been a person to
alone. run away.
Seventh-grader Ethan Authorities released no in-
Stonebraker said the stu- formation about conditions
dent was acting suspicious- of the two victims, who
ly when he walked into the were taken to Indianapolis
room while the class was hospitals.
taking a test. He said sci- Indiana University Health
ence teacher Jason Sea- spokeswoman Danielle Siril-
man likely averted a catas- la said the teacher was tak-
trophe. en to IU Health Methodist
"Our science teacher im- Hospital and the wounded
mediately ran at him, swat- student was taken to Riley
ted a gun out of his hand Hospital for Children. She
and tackled him to the didn't know the seriousness
ground," Stonebraker said. of their injuries.
"If it weren't for him, more of Hours after the shooting,
us would have been injured law enforcement agents
for sure." sealed off part of an up-
Stonebraker told ABC News scale neighborhood in No-
that Seaman threw a bas- blesville but weren't com-
ketball at the shooter and menting on whether the
ran toward the bullets as suspect lived there. Sandy
screaming students sought McWilliams, a member of
cover behind a table. a landscaping crew work-
He said he also knew the ing nearby, said six officers
suspected gunman, whom toting assault rifles entered
he described as "a nice a home.
kid most of the times" and Students were bused to
said he often joked with the the Noblesville High School
classmates. gym, where hundreds of
"It's just a shock he would parents and other family
do something like that," members arrived to retrieve
Stonebraker said. them.
The attack comes a week Authorities referred to a
after an attack at a high prompt and heroic re-
school in Santa Fe, Texas, sponse at the school but