MATH TEACHER IN LITTLETON, CO, NAMED A HERO
February 26th, 2010
DENVER – During emergency drills at Deer Creek Middle School in suburban Denver, math teacher David Benke always told himself and his students that, should something dire happen, he would try to protect them.
So when he saw a rifleman beginning to shoot students leaving school Tuesday, Benke didn’t hesitate. “I made a promise,” he said.
The 57-year-old teacher charged the gunman and knocked him to the ground. While an assistant principal grabbed the rifle, Benke and another teacher kept the shooter pinned until police arrived.
Yesterday, a judge ordered the accused gunman, 32-year-old Bruco Strong Eagle Eastwood, held on $1 million bail on suspicion of two counts of attempted murder. Two students were wounded – one in an arm, the other in a rib and lung.
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The shooting was a few miles from Columbine High School, the site of one of the country’s deadliest school shootings. Authorities said Benke’s heroism might have staved off a similar tragedy at Deer Creek.
Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink shook Benke’s hand before television cameras Tuesday night and said “You’re a fine man.” A new Facebook page titled “Dr. David Benke is a Hero!” had 14,000 followers by yesterday morning.
Eastwood is an unemployed ranch hand with a long history of assault and domestic-violence arrests. His father told the Denver Post that his son has mental problems and hears voices.
In the early 1990s, authorities said, Eastwood attended Deer Creek. He returned midday Tuesday and checked in at the office, but it is unclear what happened next.
“There was some dialogue with staff and then he left. Then the shooting began,” Jacki Kelley, a spokeswoman for the Jefferson County sheriff’s office, said at a news conference.
Kelley said Eastwood has been cooperating with authorities but declined to say what explanation the suspect gave for the attack. The rifle was his father’s.
Benke was one of four teachers outside the school watching children leave about 3 p.m. when he heard the first shot.
“I noticed he was working a bolt-action rifle,” Benke said yesterday at a news conference at district headquarters. “I realized I had time to get him before he could chamber another round.”
After Benke, who is 6-foot-5, tackled Eastwood, the two men fell to the ground grappling. Assistant Principal Becky Brown dashed over and pulled the gun away.
Another teacher climbed on top of Eastwood, who complained that he was being brutalized and that he would sue the school for excessive force, Benke said.
Benke yesterday brushed off accolades for his actions. “You’re just doing what you can do to try to protect your kids,” he said.
Published by: Los Angeles Times
Written by: Nicholas Riccardi
Picture by: Barry Gutierrez
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