Ronald E. McNair Learning Academy staff worked through the night, preparing the school to welcome back students Thursday morning to the campus they fled Tuesday after a gunman slipped into the building and terrorized the DeKalb County school.
No one was injured in the incident, but the 20-year-old suspect, Michael Brandon Hill, shot at police. He was eventually taken into custody without incident. Students, after hunkering down in their classrooms, were raced off to a field in back of the school, before being shuttled to a nearby WalMart where frustrated and fearful parents picked them up, hours after the incident began.
On Wednesday, only about 170 of the school’s 870 students returned to class, spending their day at nearby McNair High School. Students who missed school on Wednesday will be excused.
On Thursday, as the parents returned to leave their children at school, Antoinette Tuff, the school bookkeeper who faced down the gunman, was high on their minds. During the gripping real-life drama Tuff remained remarkably calm as she talked to the suspect standing before her in the front office. The 24-minute 911 recording shows Tuff continually reassuring Hill and displaying empathy, which kept Hill's mood — and the situation — from exploding.
At least a half dozen cars pulled into the school driveway carrying flowers and baskets for Tuff, parents told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“She risked her life for our kids,” said Valynda Evans, whose kindergartner and 2nd grader carried a card and a bouquet of daffodils for Ruff. “I just wanted to show my sentiment.”
Briana Bolt said she owes a debt of gratitude to Ruff’s cool head. “I really feel that had she run, things would’ve gone differently,” Bolt said. “Everybody has been calling her a hero.”
Said Kirial Stargell, mother of three McNair students: “The only thing I can do is just thank God that she was there.” School officials said Tuff will be out until Monday.
McNair principal Brian Bolden said Tuff, who was watching the front desk when Hill arrived, acted within the guidelines of the school’s security procedures. “When an intruder actually gains access into the building, our second tier of defense is to maintain that individual in the front office as long as humanly possible so we can go with our secondary defense plan which is engaging our staff to let them know what is going on in that situation.”
Tuff and DeKalb County emergency operator Kendra McCray will appear on AndersonCooper360 tonight at 8 p.m. on CNN. McCray was the 911 operator who stayed on the line with Huff during the standoff and helped relay Hill’s messages.
School officials didn’t know just before noon the exact number of students in attendance, but Bolden said “classrooms are packed.”
Counseling will be available at the academy through the end of the week, then staff will evaluate whether more is needed, school officials said.
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