In the aftermath of the horrific Florida school shooting on Wednesday, in which 17 people were killed by gunfire from a 19-year-old former student, the heroic actions of late geography teacher Scott Beigel have come to light.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student Kelsey Friend has recalled the moment Mr Beigel saved her life and that of her friends just before he was fatally shot, news.com.au reports.
“I am alive today because of him,” she told Good Morning America. “He unlocked the door and let us in. I thought he was behind me but he wasn’t.”
“When he opened the door, he had to relock it so that we could stay safe but he didn’t get the chance.”
Mr Biegel, 35, is one of three staff members who died yesterday. Athletics director Chris Hixon and assistant football coach Aaron Feis are also among the dead.
Gunman Nikolas Cruz bought the AR-15 rifle he used to mow down his peers legally at a Florida weapon store, The New York Times reports, noting that in Florida, the AR-15 has become the “weapon of choice for mass killers.” It is easier to buy than a handgun.
The school’s students are now calling for gun control on Twitter and have reacted furiously to President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the gunman’s neighbours and classmates should have reported him earlier.
The tragic incident is the 18th school shooting in the US this year. It’s only February.
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