This is the
teacher who is said to have heroically accosted a 15-year-old boy as he
fired bullets across his high school cafeteria.
Megan Silberberger ran into the room after hearing Jaylen Fryberg shoot dead one classmate and critically wound four others.
Students dived for cover and others fled but as the popular teenager stopped to reload his gun, witnesses told KIRO-TV, Silberberger walked over and grabbed his arm.
In a two-second struggle, Fryberg is said to have pointed the gun at her before shooting himself dead.
The
shocking account suggests Silberger, a first year social services
teacher and part-time soccer player, may have prevented a massacre at
the Washington school.
Nonetheless,
hundreds of students, teachers and parents piled into a nearby church
tonight for a candlelit vigil as the community reels in shock struggling
to cope with the tragic loss of two lives as four teenagers are treated
in hospital.
Hero? Megan Silberberger, a teacher and part-time soccer player, grabbed the shooter's arm as he reloaded
Assailant: Jaylen Fryberg, 15, was crowned a homecoming prince at school before shooting five classmates
Ominous: Fryberg's last tweet posted the night before the shooting read:' It's won't last... It'll never last....'
Erick
Cervantes, the first student who called 911 during the attack, told
KIRO-TV: 'I believe [Megan Silberger] is actually the real hero.
'She's the one that intercepted him with the gun.
'He
tried either reloading or tried aiming at her. She tried moving his
hand away and he tried shooting and shot himself in the neck.
'It started off with an argument, but then I looked back and there was just gunshots and just people falling down.
'She heard the gunshots first and she came in running through the door, right next to it.
'It wasn't [a] wrestle. She just grabbed his arm, and it lasted like two seconds, and I heard another shot.'
That shot, he says, was the one that killed Fryberg.
She heard the gunshots first and she came in running through the door. She grabbed his arm
Erick Cervantes, the student who called 911, on Megan Silberberger
The shooting at Marysville-Pilchuck High School lasted just two minutes between 10.41am and 10.43am on Friday.
The
horrific attack has left the entire community reeling as friends
described Fryberg, a member of the Tulalip Native-American tribe, as a
'well-respected, great guy'.
Authorities
are now scrambling to determine a possible cause for the shooting as
the four survivors fight for their lives in hospital.
Pupils
have told news stations Fryberg was suspended from the football team in
recent weeks after being involved in a fight over 'racist' comments.
Others said he had been rejected by a girl.
Last
night, Pastor Nik Baumgart told the hundreds who filled the church and
spilled out into the parking lot: 'I hate this tragedy as much as any
of you. I hate what's going on. I hate what we've had to see.
'And
I remember all kinds of times when I've had the same thoughts that
you've had about that city, about that situation, about those schools.
'Now
that's us. Now that's my alma mater. Here's what we're here to do
tonight. It's simple. It's honestly overly simple. Love one another.
Weep together.'
Fryberg's
tweets had become increasingly ominous in the months leading up to his
bloody tirade. Recently he tweeted: 'Your gonna piss me off... And then
some s*** gonna go down and I don't think you'll like it...'.
His final tweet on Thursday night ominously stated: 'It won't last...It'll never last...'.
Just
hours later he entered the crowded cafeteria during lunch break with 'a
blank stare' on his face and walked up behind one table clutching a
handgun, witnesses described.
According to Cervantes there was an argument before Fryberg launched his attack.
Multiple shots were fired, hitting five students.
One is said to have died at the scene before Fryberg turned the gun and killed himself.
Reeling: The community of Marysville, Washington, is desperately waiting for details as they hear a pupil died
Tearful: Students, parents and teachers wept tonight at a candlelit vigil in The Grove Church nearby
'We have to love one another deeply': A pastor told the tearful audience to build bridges and stay strong
Distraught: Fryberg's former teammates sat in their uniform crying as they tried to comprehend the situation
Prayer: The group shared a group prayer and a minute's silence in honor of the two dead and four wounded
All
four of the victims were taken to Providence Regional Hospital in
critical condition. Two were admitted to theater for surgery, while the
remaining two were transported to nearby Harborview Medical Center.
The
school has now been closed until November 3 and counselors have been
brought in to speak with traumatized witnesses and friends of the
victims.
Friday
night's football match between Marysville-Pilchuck and Oak Harbor High
School was canceled and Oak Harbor announced it would take second place
as a gesture.
Footage
taken of the aftermath showed shaking teenagers being evacuated from
the school with their hands in the air so officers could be sure they
were not armed.
Officers
with rifles rushed across the field to check the students for either
injuries or weapons before taking them to a local church, where parents
were gathered.
The
school was placed on lockdown at 10.43am Pacific time after students
and teachers called 911 about multiple shots fired in the cafeteria.
By 11am, a full SWAT team was at the scene.
A
male victim being treated at Harborview Medical Center emerged from
surgery at 4.30pm Easter time but was still in a serious condition.
Last
night, Chief Rik Smith of Marysville Police Department told a press
conference FBI agents will work through the night interviewing witnesses
to piece together details of the crime.
He
refused to say Fryberg's name, adding: 'I will not perpetuate this
cruel act in a place where kids should feel safe. I will not perpetuate
that by spending any time on the shooter.
Students were told to walk on to the field with their hands in the air so officers could see they weren't armed
Shock: Trauma teams were rushed to the school within minutes to recover the wounded and shaken pupils
Emergency: The school was placed on lockdown by 10.49am on Friday after a student called 911 at 10.43am
Action: Armed officers were accompanied by a SWAT team to scale the school to check for any other gunmen
Marysville Pilchuk is a public secondary school for grades 9-12 and is part of the Marysville School District
'Instead
I want to focus on the heroic efforts of teacher who quickly moved
students to safety and the students who helped each other.'
Herman Williams Jr, chairman of the Tulalip Tribe, also addressed media.
He
said: 'I am deeply saddened by the terrible tragedy in our local school
district. Our prayers go out to the families and the entire community.
'Our first priority is to support the families and the children of those involved.
'Our
community is reeling from this experience, so we ask that the media and
the public honor the families and our children in this time of grief.
Sadly, we are now experiencing what has become a national trend, which
we, as a society, must address.
'These are our children. They are suffering, and their lives will be forever changed.
'The
fact that tribal members were involved makes it extremely hard to
respond to any inquiries until we are aware of all the circumstances.
'As chairman, I ask everyone to pray for the children and families of those involved.'
A student who spoke to CNN on
the phone from inside the school described a grisly scene inside the
cafeteria, telling the news outlet: 'There was blood everywhere.'
Distraught: Terrified students wept as they waited for news at a church where they were reunited with parents
In tears: A girl at the school pictured sobbing and being embraced by a relative after the school shooting
Devastated: Students and parents embrace in a circle at a church after the school shooting
Location: The tragedy played out Friday morning in Marysville, about 35 miles north of Seattle, Washington
Support: Counselors have been sent to the school, which is closed for a week, to support traumatized pupils
According
to the unnamed teen, Fryberg was a popular freshman and a member of the
Marysville-Pilchuk football team, but he was recently suspended for
fighting.
He was also an avid hunter and gun enthusiast, as evidenced by photos posted on his social media accounts.
A few months ago, he shared a picture online showing off a new rifle he had received for his birthday.
Earlier
this month, the freshman was crowned homecoming prince, but a classmate
told CNN that may have been subjected to bullying.
Police
Commander Robb Lamoureux told reporters authorities believed that the
shooter acted alone, but had no immediate word on a motive.
However,
Jarron Webb, 15, told the Seattle Times Fryberg was angry at a girl for
spurning his advance, and that he shot her dead as payback for her
rejection.
On the eve of the shooting, Fryberg wrote an ominous final post on Twitter that read: 'it won't last.... It'll never last.... '
While
Fryberg's friends and classmates described him as a nice, well-liked
boy, his online history paints a somewhat different picture.
Hunter: Fryberg has been described as an avid hunter and regularly shared pictures of his rifle online
Jock: Fryberg was on the football time, but had been suspended recently for fighting over 'racist comments'
'Well-respected': Pupils told media they were shocked as Fryberg was a well-respected classmate
Over
the past few months, Fryberg had unleashed a series of foul-mouthed and
highly sexualized tweets venting his rage over a breakup. In some
messages, the high school freshman expressed a desire to end his life.
'F*** it!! Might As Well Die Now,' the 15-year-old tweeted in June.
Earlier
this week, just days before the shooting rampage, Fryberg fired off a
cryptic message that read: 'Alright. You f***ing got me.... That broke
me.'
A
boy who witnessed the attack said at one point during the shooting, the
gunman's handgun jammed, and the boy used that opportunity to flee the
cafeteria.
He
added that the teenager, whom he described as a 'nice kid,' remained
silent while squeezing off rounds and had a 'blank stare' in his eyes.
Police planned to complete a full investigation in the school by 4am local time.
According
to a press conference held at around 3pm Eastern time, officers were
still finding groups of students and teachers hiding inside classrooms.
'I
was in my classroom and someone pulled the fire alarm and we thought it
was a fire drill and we ran out and they told us to go back in a
classroom,; student Cindy Rodriguez, 17, told NBC News. 'We're scared.'
Ayn
Dietrich, an FBI spokesperson in Seattle, said the agency had personnel
on their way to the scene to help authorities with the investigation.
Heritage: Fryberg was a member of the Native American Tulitap tribe and was proud of his heritage
Veiled threat? In August, Fryberg ranted on Twitter at someone who had upset him
Officials
at Marysville-Pilchuk posted a message on the school's website that
read in part: 'Students who attend MPHS campus are being relocated to
the Shoultes Community Church at the corner of 116th and 51st Street.
Buses will take students home from there.
'Those
parents in the area wanting to pick up their child will need to go to
the church location and sign out their child out with school
administrator or law enforcement.
'All after-school activities across the district are canceled today.'
Parents were being asked to bring their identification cards in order to pick up their children from the church.
The
latest school shooting in the region happened at Seattle Pacific
University, where a gunman killed one student and wounded two others on
June 5 this year.
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