When Bruco Strong Eagle Eastwood began shooting at Deer Creek Middle School in Littleton, Colorado, math teacher David Benke tackled the gunman to prevent a Columbine-like massacre.
In Littleton, Colorado, the memory of the tragic shootings at Columbine High School in 1999 still weigh heavily in the hearts and minds of town residents. Yesterday, the town would have suffered another devastating attack—if not for the quick action of a teacher, David Benke.
At Deer Creek Middle School, a mere three miles from Columbine High School, a strange man came up to the building as classes were ending and students were exiting. He was carrying a high-powered rifle.
Within moments, the man, later identified as Bruco Eastwood, began shooting the gun at random, injuring two students.
But this time around, Littleton’s nightmare didn’t last long, thanks to the quick work of 57-year-old math teacher David Benke. Benke had been patrolling the parking lot on his usual after-school shift when he heard the shots go off. He came running over immediately, and as soon as the gunman paused to reload, he saw a chance to stop Eastwood.
“I had always told my students since Columbine that if anything happened in a school, that I would hope that I would be able to do something,” Benke told FOX31 News. Even though Benke had never wished to be put to the test, he did exactly what he’d wanted to do under the circumstances, risking his own life to protect his students.
“I grabbed him by the front, and we were kind of dancing around for a while,” Benke told the Denver Post. “The next thing I remember, we were on the ground struggling.”
As soon as Benke had Eastwood on the ground, two other teachers helped pin him down, pulling the gun out of the man’s reach. Other adults piled on to help restrain the shooter, shackling his ankles so that he would be trapped until the police could bring him into custody.
Of the two students injured, one, Reagan Weber, was released from the hospital after several hours, while the other, Matt Thieu, is still undergoing treatment. But if not for Benke’s brave action, the situation could have been far worse.
Deer Creek Middle School’s students are hailing their teacher for his bravery, and have created a Facebook Fan Page in his honor, called Dr. David Benke Is A Hero!!!!
One of the page’s many comments for Benke comes from Reagan Weber, the shooting victim.
“Dr. Benke thank you so much for all you have done today. I really appreciate all you did and your actions saved the lives of many kids including mine. I am doing well and am out of the hospital. Thanks again.”
At last count, the page has over 17,700 fans.