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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAtlanta school shooting Antoinette Tuff - she is one tough lady
Congrats - thank you for saving everyone in that Atlanta school and the first responders.
Suspect had not only his AK47 but 500 rounds of ammo. Antoinette Tuff was the school bookkeeper.
<snip>
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/08/21/214085753/school-clerk-in-georgia-persuaded-gunman-to-lay-down-weapons
Tuesday's in which a gunman with an assault rifle and other weapons entered the building ended with no one being hurt after a school clerk apparently spent about an hour talking to the young man. She says she persuaded him to put down his gun and surrender.
"I just started praying for him," Antoinette Tuff . "I just started talking to him ... and let him know what was going on with me and that it would be OK. And then let him know that he could just give himself up. ... I told him to put [the guns] on the table, empty his pockets. He had me actually get on the intercom and tell everybody he was sorry, too. But I told them, 'He was sorry, but do not come out of their rooms.' ... I give it all to God, I'm not the hero. I was terrified."
In , Tuff says "[I saw] a young man ready to kill anybody that he could and take any lives he wanted to." According to ABC:
"The school clerk said she tried to keep the assailant calm by asking him his name but, she said, at first he wouldn't tell it to her. Then, he began listening to her tell her life story. She said she told him about how her marriage fell apart after 33 years and the 'roller coaster' of opening her own business."
Tuff says she told 20-year-old Michael Brandon Hill that "OK, we all have situations in our lives. I went through a tragedy myself."
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A black woman's life story is enough to stop any gunman in his tracks.
The gunman, Michael Brandon Hill, is mentally ill and said he had not taken his meds.
ljm2002
(10,751 posts)If ever anyone deserved accolades, she does. She saved lives, of that there can be no doubt. And she did it without any weapon of her own other than her own common sense and raw courage. Being able to look down the barrel of a gun and not flinch, being able to see the human being on the other side of that gun, being able to reason with him rather than cower, keeping him in the office and therefore keeping herself in danger, because she knew if he left the office he'd be shooting at the children... well I'd like to think I could be that brave, but I hope it's never put to the test. What she did is the textbook definition of heroism.
malaise
(268,994 posts)She is one brave woman. Looks like we need more Antoinette's than we need armed guards in our schools.
She sure saved lives yesterday.
monmouth3
(3,871 posts)Pretzel_Warrior
(8,361 posts)Instead she used intellect to reason with the young man and diffuse the situation.
malaise
(268,994 posts)shooting
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)malaise
(268,994 posts)I hope her business succeeds
malaise
(268,994 posts)baseball player by those thugs.
rl6214
(8,142 posts)There are some one here in the gun control group that say is is a racist dog whistle term
malaise
(268,994 posts)rl6214
(8,142 posts)Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)What an AMAZING woman. Everyone needs to watch this video. And I'm going to be PISSED if someone or a whole lotta someones don't give her seed money for her business.
malaise
(268,994 posts)That tape is something else
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)Maybe it will be up on Youtube.
malaise
(268,994 posts)Tonight's news isn't up yet
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)Are_grits_groceries
(17,111 posts)I am always reminded of a quote from "Death Of A Salesman."
Linda Loman says:
But he's a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him.
So attention must be paid. He's not to be allowed to fall in his grave like an old dog. Attention, attention must finally be paid to such a person.
Many people are lost, hopeless and going through any number of crises. It behooves us to listen if nothing else. Like Willie Loman, they are human beings who deserve a shred of dignity.
If attention is not paid, many will continue to suffer tremendously and a very few such as this gunman will demand that attention in some awful way.
Mrs.Tuff paid some real attention to HIM. Even with a gun on her, she treated him like a human being.
Attention must be paid! It is the least we can do, and the first step to becoming a more compassionate country.
malaise
(268,994 posts)Wow!
Death of a Salesman is one of my favorite Miller worls.
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,182 posts)Had he gone on to shoot up the school, he either would have been shot by police or committed suicide (as many mass shooters do after their acts), or would have been caught and either sentenced to death or life in prison.
Since he didn't actually kill or injure anyone (although he did actually fire shots at police), he'll do some significant prison time but it's possible he'll be released. And hopefully at some point in his life he'll have a chance to rebuild his life.
malaise
(268,994 posts)in prison
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)malaise
(268,994 posts)this brave woman.
rl6214
(8,142 posts)AverageJoe90
(10,745 posts)Many kudos to Mrs. Tuff for helping save lives.
malaise
(268,994 posts)Rowdyboy
(22,057 posts)malaise
(268,994 posts)Rush Beck won't mention her - it will mess up the meme
JI7
(89,249 posts)does she think she should be allowed to have a gun in her classroom ?
malaise
(268,994 posts)Looks like no shooting actually worked.
yellowwoodII
(616 posts)This story should have had many recommends.
malaise
(268,994 posts)Clearly Joe Scum is on vacation
derby378
(30,252 posts)Anyone brave enough to talk down a gunman at school probably ain't scared of nothin'. She richly deserves our nation's respect and appreciation.
malaise
(268,994 posts)That tape on CNN - damn!
Paladin
(28,257 posts)JI7
(89,249 posts)sounds like she feels empathy and compassion more than fear.
malaise
(268,994 posts)I asked hubby last night what he thought the reaction would have been from the Rush Beck O'liellys and the bleached blondes on Fox.
uponit7771
(90,336 posts)...such a hero.
malaise
(268,994 posts)fugged up the NRA meme about having more guns in the schools.
hfojvt
(37,573 posts)that usually draws a lot of scorn and derision on DU.
""I just started praying for him," Antoinette Tuff tells Atlanta's channel 2"
malaise
(268,994 posts)I think her empathy and her sharing her problems with him talked him down, but if she believes its her prayers that work, who am I to challenge her.
hfojvt
(37,573 posts)If an attractive woman starts talking to him.
She looks too young to have been married 33 years, unless she is starting the 33 years from her 13th birthday (when she apparently started dating the guy she married). Still, she looks more like 36 than 46.
malaise
(268,994 posts)but I'm betting there were other factors
M$NBComcast is playing the full tape right now