Thanks to her, this time there will be no funerals with tiny caskets, no candlelit vigils and no families broken by grief.
No one was shot Tuesday after a man slipped into an elementary school just outside Atlanta with an AK-47-style assault rifle, 500 rounds of ammo and “nothing to live for.”
Why?
Not because we listened to gun advocates who said we should arm teachers with weapons.
Not because we took the advice of the National Rifle Association, which said schools should have armed officers.
Not because we heeded the school board directives to make frightening “intruder drills” part of every curriculum.
Probably, a mass shooting didn’t happen because the gunman listened to Tuff, the bookkeeper at Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy in Decatur, Ga. Police have identified the suspect as Michael Brandon Hill, 20.
On Thursday, President Obama identified Tuff as a hero, with a surprise phone call thanking her for her act of bravery. (via Washington Post)
hanks to her, this time there will be no funerals with tiny caskets, no candlelit vigils and no families broken by grief.
No one was shot Tuesday after a man slipped into an elementary school just outside Atlanta with an AK-47-style assault rifle, 500 rounds of ammo and “nothing to live for.”
Why?
Not because we listened to gun advocates who said we should arm teachers with weapons.
Not because we took the advice of the National Rifle Association, which said schools should have armed officers.
Not because we heeded the school board directives to make frightening “intruder drills” part of every curriculum.
Probably, a mass shooting didn’t happen because the gunman listened to Tuff, the bookkeeper at Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy in Decatur, Ga. Police have identified the suspect as Michael Brandon Hill, 20.
On Thursday, President Obama identified Tuff as a hero, with a surprise phone call thanking her for her act of bravery.
He told her that he “wants to go on the intercom and let everybody know he’s sorry.” He wanted someone to hear him and to forgive him.
He wanted her to know it was easy to get an assault rifle when you’re on probation and mentally ill. He just took it from a friend.
After the suspect was in custody, Tuff exhaled.
“I’ve never been so scared in all the days of my life. Oh, Jesus,” she told the 911 operator.
Thank you, Antoinette Tuff, for using your head and your heart to save those kids.
