screenshot via Fox News
Following the deadly shooting at Aztec High School in New Mexico, San Juan Sheriff Ken Christesen is making an effort to highlight the heroics of one teacher in particular.
Kathleen Potter, a substitute teacher in the area, is being hailed as a hero for her quick thinking when William Atchison entered Aztec High School with his gun, killing two students: Casey Jordan-Marquez and Francisco “Paco” Fernandez.
According to reports, when Potter, a substitute teacher, heard the shots being fired, she knew she had to hide the 17 students in her classroom.
“I heard popping sounds down the hall, going pop, pop, pop. I looked in the hall and the custodian, Hill, was in the hall and he was saying, who are you? I could tell he was frantic and I knew what was going on,” Potter told Fox News.
Upon hearing the gunshots, Potter told all of the students to get into the classroom’s office, push the sofa against the door, and lay on the floor. The students waited until the shooting was over and all 17 were unharmed despite the fact the shooter attempted to enter the classroom.
via Fox News:
Potter knew both victims, Francisco Fernandez and Casey Marquez. She described them both as popular, all-American students. Fernandez, however, was in her class that morning. He asked Potter if he could go to the bathroom, signed out and never came back. When Fernandez opened the bathroom door, the shooter was standing inside with his gun loaded.
The students inside were quiet, as they were trained to be in a lockdown, according to Potter. But some were scared. The shooter found the students in the room with Potter. He tried to get in but couldn’t because of the sofa barricading the door. Then he shot through the walls but miraculously never hit anyone.
Eventually Potter heard the Sheriff’s department yell out. She opened the door and knew they were safe.
While Potter said she doesn’t consider herself a hero, she did say she’ll be back substitute teaching as soon as possible.
