NEWS: Slain guard at Minnesota school called a hero

RED LAKE, Minn. - After a shoot out by 16 year old Jeff Weise in a Minnesota high school, the first to die was Derrick Brun. Shots were fired, as most already know, by a 12 gauge shotgun, and that is when Derrick came out of his office to see what was happening. Apparently trying to coax the 16 year old into giving up the weapons(he also had 2 pistols), he ended up getting shot twice. Now gone from this world, he is by many called a hero. Claims of Derrick saving peoples lives by giving his own up to stall for time have spread across the town. But now his family is left to wonder, why their son, an aspiring cop, would risk so much; even if it meant saving another.



Simply said, any man dying for another's life should be considered a hero, especially when it is something as daring as protecting someone else from gun point. Although what he did may be considered foolish by some, I believe that even more could have died if it was not for his stalling allowing for others to get out(9 dead).

[edit on 24/3/05 by ivanglam for spell check]

[edit on 24/3/05 by ivanglam]

[edit on 24/3/05 by ivanglam]

spelling check needed.

I do think thats better, spelling-wise. I dont have a spell check program so i had to look all the words up in the dictionary. lol . Hope it's better now

so, one guy is a hero and the other security guard turned and ran. While I can't say that I wouldn't do the same thing in that situation, an armed security guard is there to protect, not flee.

and if there are armed guards in the school, apparently working the doors, if the article is correct, how the hell did this kid get in with a shotgun?

I agree he quite possibly saved lives by trying to stop Weise but his job is to protect those students. He's a hero for taking the job in the first place. The other security guard should be fired.

As much as I agree with you, what would have anyone done? I know for sure that I would have ran also, and so, this man is a hero for not being a coward in the face of danger. Although I do not call the other man a coward as I would ahve done the same, I think he applied with more of an idea of being there jsut to stop small pety fights. No one expected a 16 year old to march in with guns ready to kill. Sure, it may be on the job contract, but what were the odds?

The security guard was armed? I don't think we was.

I'm sorry, where do you see that?

........

My appology, I see it now. Umm.. as far as I know, school liasons arent allowed to have firearms, but I do know they can have batons and pepper spray.


[edit on 24/3/05 by ivanglam]

The security guard was armed? I don't think we was.

I may be wrong: Awaiting correction

Doesn't anyone at least have a view point on whether he should be considered a hero or not? C'mon people! Tell me what you think!

I think he was doing his job.


I don't know that walking out, and getting shot makes one a hero.
If it does, then everyone who died at this school would be one as well.

Every person who died, took a bullet that could have ended up being fired at another.

All of them are victims.

As found on dictionary.com :

A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life.

While he could have ran away, he decided not to, thus giving up his own life. I think thats what makes him a hero. Yes he was doing his job, but do we not call a solider in battle who saved another's life a hero? What is the difference? Both in turn died saving someones life.


[edit on 24/3/05 by ivanglam]

He's a Hero, pin a medal on his chest

If he purposely gave up his life to stall for time to allow some other students time to escape with their lives, then he is a hero. I do not believe dieing for others is necessarily in the job description as a security guard. I may be wrong though. Now if he simply stepped out into the line of fire without thinking of how stupid that might be, I wouldn't necessarily call that being a hero. However since he died hopefully stalling for time (I wasn't there so I don't know.), it is easier just to say he is a hero. More details from eyewitnesses at the scene would be helpful in making the hero determination. I haven't been reading up on this story too much though.

I forgot to read the linked article before responding. I'm still trying to decide the hero thing but I will admit that he was courageous to go try to talk down an armed student with no gun of his own. Now I'm wondering why don't school security guards have guns of their own to stop an incident like this before it gets too bad? Of course armed security guards should have proper gun training and background and mental checks. I would feel safer as a student if I knew the school had armed security guards to eliminate or stop mentally unstable students with guns.

I hate to say this but if other schools across this nation only have security guards without guns, this tragedy is likely to repeat in my opinion. You have to be prepared to fight fire with fire in my opinion. You can try to disarm someone but I would want a trigger finger ready to fire if needed. Now we have more dead probably because there is too much anti-gun lobbying groups out there IMO. What could stop a suicidal atheist student from flipping out one day and going to school with a gun? I'm not sure. Maybe a peer support group and more counseling?

[edit on 24-3-2005 by orionthehunter]

What Brun, 28, was going to try to do with the armed teenager will never be known. But Grant said she is convinced that he was going to try to talk Weise into giving up his weapon.

"I believe Derrick was the kind of person that was going to try to talk him down," she said. "I know he was going to try to protect us. I knew he was going to hold him back.

about stalling for time

I misread the article to say that the guard was armed.

I think I clearly stated that I think he's a hero for doing his job and that he's a hero, in my eyes, for taking that job. Anyone who's job is to protect our kids is a hero in my eyes.

He's a Hero, pin a medal on his chest

Was that meant sarcastically?

Wow, thats impressive. All the more reason to loathe and reject what this pig Weise did.

I don't know that for sure... this Weise character could have been mentally deranged...