Teacher Disarms Sixth-Grade School Shooter, Hugs Her Until Police Arrive
On 5/20/21 at 7:35 AM EDT
A teacher in Idaho has spoken about how she managed to disarm a sixth-grade girl who had opened fire at her school and hugged her until the police arrived.
Krista Gneiting, who teaches math at Rigby Middle School, around 15 miles northeast of Idaho Falls, said she had heard gunfire down the hall from the classroom where she was preparing students for exams at around 9 a.m. on May 6.
Gneiting looked outside her classroom and saw the school janitor lying on the floor. After shutting the door, she told ABC News she had instructed her students: You re going to run hard, you re not going to look back and now is the time to get up and go.
Teacher disarmed Idaho school shooter, then hugged her
Educator urges compassion for sixth-grade girl accused of wounding 3 By Associated Press
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2 Photos A police officer walks out of Rigby Middle School in Rigby, Idaho, following a shooting there on May 6. (natalie behring/Associated Press) Photo Gallery
RIGBY, Idaho When a student opened fire at an Idaho middle school, teacher Krista Gneiting directed children to safety, rushed to help a wounded victim and then calmly disarmed the sixth-grade shooter, hugging and consoling the girl until police arrived.
Parents credited the math teacher’s display of compassion with saving lives. While two students and the school custodian were shot May 6, all three survived, and the gunfire was over within minutes. Gneiting’s family says bravery and empathy are just part of who she is.
Idaho Teacher Saves The Day By Consoling Under-Aged School Shooter
Rigby Middle School teacher Krista Gneiting said she hugged the 6th grade suspect because she didn t think the girl s mom knew her daughter was hurting people.
RIGBY, Idaho (AP) When a student opened fire at an Idaho middle school, teacher Krista Gneiting directed children to safety, rushed to help a wounded victim and then calmly disarmed the sixth-grade shooter, hugging and consoling the girl until police arrived.
Parents credited the math teacher’s display of compassion with saving lives. While two students and the school custodian were shot May 6, all three survived, and the gunfire was over within minutes. Gneiting’s family says bravery and empathy are just part of who she is.