teacher approach the gunman, and then the gunman is pointing the gun towards the teacher, and he fires a shot at the teacher, and then everybody started screaming and running. reporter: officials say 45-year-old mike landsberry, the popular math teacher and coach, calmly walked toward the shooter, hands raised, trying to convince him to put the gun down. mr. landsberry s heroic actions stepping toward the shooter allowed other students to flee the area. reporter: landsberry has been hailed a hero. the decorated marine playing the role of batman as the students affectionately called him. he was a soldier with us but he was always a teacher. he wanted to always be there for the kids. reporter: landsberry leaves a wife and two stepdaughters. his wife sharon posted this on facebook, he was my everything, my world, he touched so many lives and was an incredible man. stephanie elam joins us live.