Hero Teacher prevents Massacre, took down Gunman.

Hero teacher tackles student gunman

CNN reports that shots were first heard Wednesday morning in the Mattoon High School cafeteria. Angela McQueen, a teacher, and a school resource officer headed to the cafeteria to investigate.

It was there, inside the large room, that McQueen and the resource officer saw the male student spraying gunfire.

McQueen sprung into action and took down the student as fellow pupils and staff fled, Larry Lilly, supt. for Mattoon Community Unit School District 2, said at a news conference this week. The school resource officer then stepped in and disarmed the student.

Lives were saved by a quick response of a teacher here," Mattoon Police Chief Jeff Branson said during the news conference. "If that teacher had not responded as quickly as they had, I think the situation would have been a lot different."

One student was struck by gunfire that day, he said. The student was found in the school's parking lot and hospitalized, where he is recovering.