An Indian origin teacher used a basic technique to block the way of the assailant who opened indiscriminate fire at the students trapped inside the Florida school where 17 people were reported dead.
Shanthi Viswanathan had realised that there was something unusual in the premises of the institute when the second alarm sounded shortly towards the end of the day at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High.
The Algebra teacher didn’t let her students go out as as the gunman, opened fire extensively, moving from room to room.
Instead, she instantly placed a paper over the window of the door to block the view inside the classroom, and made the students lay on the floor in a corner of the room.
The teacher’s actions saved the students, said Dawn Jarboe, father of a student present in the class.
“She was quick on her feet. She used her knowledge. She saved a lot of kids,” Jarboe said.
Viswanathan, avoiding risk, didn’t open the door even on arrival of police and SWAT team thinking it might be some sort of trap by the gunman.
When police asked her to open the door, she said, “Knock it down or open it with a key. I’m not opening the door.” Police followed what she demanded.
“Some SWAT guy took out the window and cleared our room,” a student finally texted his mom.
