Witness to the Sandy Hook Massacre
- 11 years ago
People come to pay their respects to the 20 students and six adults gunned down in a schools massacre in Connecticut.
For Becky Virgalla it's personal, she was there.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) BECKY VIRGALLA, SAND HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOOTING WITNESS, SAYING:
"Yes, my principal Dawn Hochsprung and Mary Sherlach. I was at a meeting with them and they went out in the hall to check out the noise that we didn't know that was gunshots at first and when they realized it was gunshots - and Natalie Hammond, Lead Teacher was with them, the three of them were shot and they yelled back 'shooter, stay put.' And they saved my life and the life of four others who were at that meeting. And my message that I want all school people to know, anybody that has children in schools, or works in a school is please be sure that your doors lock from the inside, because ours did not and teachers had to go out. You can't be out in a hall when a shooter is present in your school. Just that simple thing could make a difference in time and safety of the children. Make sure the doors lock from the inside, and that's what I want to say and I want to tell you that I am very proud to work at Sandy Hook School, and so many heroes were there that day. Thank you."
The massacre of so many children shocked the United States and the world and renewed debate over gun control in a nation where the right to bear arms is protected by the Constitution and fiercely defended by many.
For Becky Virgalla it's personal, she was there.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) BECKY VIRGALLA, SAND HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOOTING WITNESS, SAYING:
"Yes, my principal Dawn Hochsprung and Mary Sherlach. I was at a meeting with them and they went out in the hall to check out the noise that we didn't know that was gunshots at first and when they realized it was gunshots - and Natalie Hammond, Lead Teacher was with them, the three of them were shot and they yelled back 'shooter, stay put.' And they saved my life and the life of four others who were at that meeting. And my message that I want all school people to know, anybody that has children in schools, or works in a school is please be sure that your doors lock from the inside, because ours did not and teachers had to go out. You can't be out in a hall when a shooter is present in your school. Just that simple thing could make a difference in time and safety of the children. Make sure the doors lock from the inside, and that's what I want to say and I want to tell you that I am very proud to work at Sandy Hook School, and so many heroes were there that day. Thank you."
The massacre of so many children shocked the United States and the world and renewed debate over gun control in a nation where the right to bear arms is protected by the Constitution and fiercely defended by many.