Teacher Who Fought Shooter: 'It All Happened So Fast'

A teacher who confronted a school shooter in Bend, Oregon, and is credited with saving lives has released her first statement about the incident. "It all happened so fast, and I wish with everything in me that we had more time," said Cassidy Schutz, reports Oregon Public Broadcasting. "The pain of this loss I will carry with me forever." Police say Schutz threw her phone at the teen shooter, then began wrestling with him for control of his weapon. At that point, a man who had followed the teen into the school fatally shot him.

"There are no words to describe the depth of sadness I am feeling following the events of October 15th," wrote Schutz, per KPTV. "This is not a story. This is a horrific and heartbreaking tragedy, and it is our real lives." Three students ages 5, 8, and 11 were killed, and a 7-year-old and another teacher were wounded. Police Chief Mike Krantz has said Schutz "almost certainly helped prevent more bloodshed." Kaylub Giamanco, the man who shot the gunman, previously called Schutz a "true hero" for confronting the shooter unarmed. "As I continue to navigate this, I ask that you please give me the time, space, and privacy I need to heal," wrote Schutz.