Young, UNARMED, female teacher stopped school shooter

[kpete]

Student: Female teacher heroically stopped the shooter


A student who witnessed the shooting at Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Washington on Friday, Oct. 24, said teacher Megan Silberberger stopped the gunman from shooting more people before shooting himself.

...........................

Cervantes thought the woman was a "lunch lady" who worked at the school, but she was later identified as a first-year social studies teacher. Cevantes confirmed to Natasha Chen of KIRO-TV that teacher Megan Silberberger was the woman he saw in action.

“I believe she’s actually the real hero. She’s the one that intercepted him with the gun. He tried either reloading or tried aiming at her. She tried moving his hand away and he tried shooting and shot himself in the neck,” Cervantes said.

He said the gunshots followed a verbal altercation.

“It started off with an argument, but then I looked back and there was just gunshots and just people falling down,” Cervantes recalled. And immediately after the gunshots, the (woman) intervened, he said.


MORE:
http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/student-lunch-lady-heroically-stopped-shooter/nhrXZ/

[customerserviceguy]

1. She's just lucky

that he decided that the jig was up, and turned the weapon on himself. Had she overpowered him, then I would have said that she stopped him.

[seabeyond]

5. How I interpreted she knocked hand in different direction resulting in his death

Regardless, her interference redirected what was happening. To step up even to that extent takes courage in fear.

[customerserviceguy]

7. Are you thinking

that she redirected his hand with the weapon so that he pulled the trigger when she had it pointed in the direction of his head? I hadn't considered that.

Yes, she is courageous, but that doesn't preclude her being lucky, too. I'm certainly glad she was both, I know Marysville, I used to live there between 30 and 35 years ago. I remember the relations between the Native Americans and the mostly Caucasian people there as being harmonious, I certainly hope that it remains so.

[seabeyond]

8. I am not saying she is hero or wasn't lucky. Just that stepping in took

Courage and did change course of what was happening.

How I read was he was trying to point and she was trying to stop the gun from pointing in the direction it was pointing. I doubt she tried to get him to shoot self. Just how this one worked out.

That is how I read it. Does not mean I read it correctly.

[customerserviceguy]

9. I suppose we'll know more

when witness interviews and ballistic testing is done. I expect there will be a comprehensive report on the incident, and I expect it will be fair and factual.

A lot of things had to go right on that day, and her decision to be courageous was certainly one of them.

[scarystuffyo]

22. If he died from a gunshot wound to the neck I tend to

believe this account.

I don't think if his intention was suicide he would have put the muzzle to his neck

[cwydro]

12. Enormous courage.

Most people were running away.

I imagine I would have been under a desk if I could not run away.

[Rex]

16. She is totally a hero, got up close and pulled a Steven Segal move on him STOPPING him

dead in his tracks. That someone would begrudge her of her deed is curious to say the least.

[seabeyond]

17. if it is a "label" whatever. but certainly courageous while fearful. that is extraordinary.

and changing the outcome.

but, ya. works for me.

[Rex]

18. Anyone with the courage to stop a armed madman, while being unarmed themselves

is a hero in my book.

[pnwmom]

56. Of course she's a hero. Her action took courage, as you say, and stopped him. n/t

[tblue37]

46. That's how the reports describe it. He wasn't trying to shoot himself but

ended up doing so because she knocked his hand away as he tried to shoot.

[DirkGently]

11. That's my interpretation as well.

Shooting oneself in the neck while struggling with someone does not read as a suicide. Sounds more like he was trying to get another shot off and she moved the weapon away from the crowd and toward him.

[Rex]

15. Nah she totally owned him up close.

A hero in name and deed she is. Took courage to do what she did, doubt many here would step up and do the same.

[tabasco]

37. No, she's not "just lucky"

She is very courageous and noble to put her life in danger to protect children.

[LawDeeDah]

54. It common for heroic deeds like this that are done by a woman

to be downplayed. If reported at all.

Lucky, yah, she's realllll lucky.

[customerserviceguy]

62. Perhaps you didn't see my revised remarks

at post #9 above, and perhaps you didn't see that, but feel free to play the sexism card. Perhaps you missed this post on another thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=917941

I consider Nina Pham heroic, too, and was delighted to see her exchange a hug with the President.

Ms. Silberberger could just as easily become another victim that day. I'm glad she wasn't.

[pnwmom]

55. Other reports said that they "struggled" and that it wasn't clear whether the gun

went off in the struggle, or whether he deliberately killed himself.

In any case, she stopped him.

[flamingdem]

3. This says he did not commit suicide - oh ugh that's even worse and she's

a tremendous hero!

[marions ghost]

4. When are we going to stop this carnage?

We need to get guns out of schools. This situation is hurting every one.

[ManiacJoe]

43. You make it sound like guns in schools is legal.

It is not.

[marions ghost]

60. Duh

Guns in schools is a national shame and an absurd challenge to the business of educating children.

Obviously making guns "illegal" in schools does not begin to address the problem.

nah, no solution

[Sunlei]

6. For the teacher to move to wards a shooter & grab his arm!! is Heroic!

[Mister Nightowl]

10. Bingo!

to her.

[lindysalsagal]

13. ...just another lazy, underworked, over-appreciated, over-paid UNIONIZED teacher

Exactly what republicans hate.

(Before you go on the attack: I'm a teacher and this is sarcasm. Too bad that has to be spelled out on this site, but it does. )

If you check back in June, they'll still be cutting funding to that school, no matter how much that teacher was needed in that dire moment.

These things are forgotten when people feel they're being ripped off by the government.

[adigal]

45. Goddamn union teachers, we don't care about anything but our raises

None of us would ever, ever risk our lives for our students.

(I would never leave my students in danger without trying to stop it. Or at least that is how I pray I would behave.)

[Oktober]

14. Counting on the incompetence and/or suicidal tendencies of an enemy...

... is not the best form of long term planning.

[NYC_SKP]

19. It might be good to train teachers, others, to strategically intervene, but we don't.

This may have prevented further deaths and injuries, but she was breaking the rules, as I've seen them.

I'm glad for people like this who are willing to take calculated chances to intervene.

[lindysalsagal]

32. Great. Now, I am expected to repell a maniac with a semi-automatic?

Is there no limit to society's expectations for teachers?

We're supposed to make all students above average.
We're supposed to be 100% fair and nice 100% of the time.
We're supposed to read every child's mind and make them 100% happy 100% of the time.
We're supposed to know everything that's happening to every child at home, even though we are seldom told the truth about home situations.
We're supposed to prevent smoking, drugs, violence, pre-marital sex and bullying, including on cell phones.
We're supposed to turn every child into a college success.

So, now, add to that CIA, Secret Service security services? Really? 2 mornings a week, I stand and "protect" a front door of a school that is constructed of 25 feet of running glass, floor to ceiling. When the maniac with the semi blows out the glass, what, exactly, in your expert opinion, is this 110lb 53 year old woman supposed to do next? Assuming, I'm alive????

I can't wait to hear this.

[seabeyond]

34. i was going ot post above to you. two kids almost thru the system and i have consistently had

excellent hands on teachers for my boys.

a small few, that i was not overly impressed with that were not a determent to the boys success.

then i read this.

exactly. now.... learn how to unarm a gun tootin killer.

teaching profession is shat upon. i value the work you all do.

and thank you

[lindysalsagal]

36. Thank you. We never said we were perfect, just dedicated.

I'm glad your sons are doing well.

[NYC_SKP]

39. I do that work, seabeyond. I teach. Please don't misunderstand or mischaracterize my words.

Last edited Sat Oct 25, 2014, 08:31 PM - Edit history (1)

There's nothing wrong with teaching martial arts to teachers, or defensive measures.

As a teacher, I was taught to never touch a student except as a last resort and to call admin or probation or 911.

Well, guess what? If a Sureño student transfers into my classroom at a predominantly Norteño school and brings a handgun the second day, I'm going to call the cops AND remove that kid from the room, quietly, and have a talk and get the gun back if I can do it safely.

That's what I did in 2002, and it went against the rules but was the right thing to do. I broke up a number of fist fights, too.

That's what you do if you care and if you have the strength of will and some training.

I never ever said teachers should be instructed or required to act against bad people with rifles, I never ever said that and those who jump to that conclusion and say I'm shitting on my own profession are grossly misreading the reply.

Take care.

[seabeyond]

41. you are right to call me on it and i know you are a teacher, hence surprised with the training...

here is the thing. as a teacher, i am sure you agree, society is giving you the teacher more and more responsibility in the total development of all a child is. that was never what school was meant to be. responsibilities that should be on the parent. this would just be another added burden. but more, some of us simply do not want to learn to fight, confront an aggressor, or have the need to put into the role.

choosing teaching profession pretty much makes that clear, hence not being a cop or in military.

it is like talking womens issues, people tel me i need to learn to fight, to protect myself. learn to handle and deal with a gun.

i dont wanna. lol

it is a very small of your post, that i took, and really wanted to make a comment to the teacher more so because of her first comment above you.

so sorry for not being fair. and thank you, for the teaching. i always have your backs. i think you guys have been crapped on and it pisses me off.

[NYC_SKP]

42. Thanks. And the other teachers' comments above are spot on. We're expected to do it all.

And when shit hits fans, hardly anyone has our backs.

I did leave the classroom, too many of my students died, but I continue to work with kids and teachers but in different and new ways.

The most in need will always have my heart.

I still see some of them and just this morning ran across my most dear student's journal that he maintained, as did others, responding to morning journal prompts.

One page minimum, Tim would go on and on for several pages. Here's an excerpt, circa 2003:

"a couple times my own family members came to me and said that my grandfather is my father now that messes with your head, I mean to know that you are a child of rape and people wonder why I'm in jail and why I'm the way I am"

I still have his journal and we are FB friends, and he just posted that he's going to be a dad. I think he'll be a great father.

[BrotherIvan]

47. I stand up and cheer your post!

"as a teacher, i am sure you agree, society is giving you the teacher more and more responsibility in the total development of all a child is. that was never what school was meant to be. responsibilities that should be on the parent."

As the child of a teacher, I saw this. As a short-term teacher, it is what made me decide that teaching was not for me. We need parents to do their jobs and teachers to do their jobs and students to do their jobs to have a successful outcome. It must be all three. Instead, this country has decided to dump it all on teachers and it's not working--it's never going to work. And now, being a teacher is highly dangerous as well and we expect them to put themselves in mortal danger. It's just too much.

[lindysalsagal]

52. Amen.

Well said. When people tell me to my face that I have it too easy with early days and summers off, I ask them why they're not teachers.

I never get an answer.

And when people tell me teachers should be armed, I tell them, no, you really don't want to arm me when your kid has pissed me off for the 100th time!

It's just a joke, but, the point is, we're only human. You trust your kids with us but don't forget that we're only human.

As long as society produces armed killers, children are vulnerable. Period. Schools are designed for instant exits in case of fire, which is hundreds of times more likely than a shooting. That ease of exit makes it easy for an armed assailant to get in.

The solution is to take automatic guns off the streets and markets, period. Nothing short of that will help.

[NYC_SKP]

38. No, it would be training for use if needed, no expectation or requirement to exercise it.

I'm sorry if I left the wrong impression-- But I do mean to speak out against the status quo with is, "OK teachers, if this happens get everyone under the desk and take shelter and wait to be killed".

There's nothing wrong with providing some defensive art classes and, hell, it would be fun and good exercise and might be handy off campus, but it could be totally voluntary, too.

I'm not personally concerned about school violence, but where it is a problem it's crazy to expect someone else to come and act when there are adults in the room every damn minute of every day.

Why NOT give them the tools?

OBTW, I have many years under my belt as a classroom teacher, most of which were with "difficult to serve" students. I took a handgun away from a kid who brought it because his gang was the minority gang and he was scared back in 2002.

But the scariest things I saw done were done by admins.

I sympathize with you and you're absolutely right, it's an impossible list of expectations that leads to burn out and frustration, not developmental growth (for them or for you).

[BrotherIvan]

48. Exactly!!

Your post is spot on. I cannot believe that disarming a gunman is now part of a teacher's duties. I cannot believe that we expect teachers to become cops. How about we make sure parents secure their weapons and don't give their children guns for birthday presents as was the case with this shooter? When will gun owners take responsibility?

Applause for your post. You said it perfectly.

[scarystuffyo]

20. So now it wasn't a suicide as was reported?

She actually wrestled and pushed his hand with the gun into his neck and he shot himself in the neck?

This is a 180 degree twist in what happened from the previous reporting

[Jenoch]

24. I saw reports that he shot himself.

I never read any story that he committed suicide.

[scarystuffyo]

25. That would read suicide

Officials have confirmed that Fryberg, who had recently been named to homecoming court, shot a total of five students, killing one and critically wounding four others, before turning the gun on himself

[Jenoch]

26. I have been reading reports that

the young achool teacher grabbed his arm, the arm in which his hand was holding the gun, and that she pushed his arm away as he attempted to shoot and that he hit himself in the neck. If that is the case, it may not have been a suicide.

[scarystuffyo]

27. Did the the report say he did died from a gun shot wound to the neck?

I didn't read where the wound was on the articles I read

[Jenoch]

28. I have read so many stories

about this crime that I cannot find a lnk to any story that provided the details I remember reading. Of course, it is entirely possible he did intentionally shoot himself.

[scarystuffyo]

29. If the wound is a neck wound it would seem unlikely that it was suicide.

Of course it's possible but most suicides involving a gun is a shot to the head or under the chin.

I've never read of someone putting the muzzle to their neck?

I think that was the big controversy also with the Vince Foster suicide.

You don't put a muzzle to your neck

[Jenoch]

33. Junior Seau,

an NFL linebacker shot himself in his heart so they could examine his brain.

[davidpdx]

57. The way I read the article is in the struggle the gun got pushed toward him as he fired

hitting him in the neck. Given that it happened within the last two days, it could be the accounts that are coming out aren't entirely clear.

Either way her stepping up and grabbing the gun was brave. We will never know how many lives she saved by running toward him and confronting him instead of away from him and hiding.

I'm sure that memory is going to be haunting for a long long time.

[seabeyond]

35. that is what happens with a developing story. it behooves us all to be fluid with info

[Rex]

21. The replies to what she did are fascinating.

Really tells you a lot about people.

[gratuitous]

31. Totally agree

My short version is unarmed person confronted armed murderer, murders stopped. That makes the unarmed person an unqualified hero in my book.

[Rex]

40. I don't know if I would have that courage.

Just imagine if he would have reloaded. She performed exemplary under horrible conditions.

[former9thward]

23. Old, ARMED, employee stopped the Ottawa shooter.

[BrotherIvan]

49. Don't like this story do you?

The Sargent who shot the Ottawa shooter was retired law enforcement. This woman was unarmed. In the other Washington shooting, the shooter was stopped by pepper spray. If you're trying to argue the NRA's point that it takes "a good guy with a gun" aka random gun-toting, cowboy-in-his-dreams packing heat, the evidence is entirely against you.

[former9thward]

53. Your POV.

But not reality. Is your argument that we should disarm guards since guns are useless? President Obama may disagree.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

30. So when confronted with someone threatening to shoot her, she

tried (successfully) to push the gun out of line. Yet there were people on DU who couldn't even conceive that when confronted with someone pulling a gun on him, Brown might have tried to push it out of line, and instead insisted the fact that he got shot in the hand was proof that he had tried to 'take the gun'.

Good on her.

[greatlaurel]

44. Good point. nt

[bravenak]

51. Thank you!!

I tried and failed to make that point.

[Oktober]

58. Erich there took a swing and whiffed as well...

Don't worry about it...

It's amazing how folks can turn any topic into whatever they are personally interested in...

[bravenak]

59. Cute.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

61. Don't worry bout it.

I already know there are people who can't multitask. Who can only focus on one thing at a time, and can't chew gum and walk at the same time

[Unrepentant Fenian]

50. Megan Silberberger is the very definition of the word "Hero"!

I'm sure republican heads are exploding across the country because the shooter was stopped by an unarmed, female, unionized government employee!