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Fla. School Board Shooting (VIDEO): "I'm Not A Hero," Says Guard Who Stopped Clay Duke

Fla. School Board Shooting (VIDEO): "I'm Not A Hero," Says Guard Who Stopped Clay Duke
Fla. School Board Shooter Clay Duke (CBS)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (CBS/AP) Mike Jones, the security guard who shot Clay Duke after he opened fire at school board members before fatally shooting himself, told reporters Thursday that he is no hero.

PICTURES: Fla. School Board Shooting

"I'm not a hero, folks. I've just done my job," Jones said at a a press conference.

Jones was not in the room when Duke interrupted the meeting and painted a "V" inside a circle on the wall.

He said he received a call on his cell phone that there was an armed man in the boardroom. Jones said he went downstairs and attempted to draw Duke out of the room by playing "peek-a-boo" with him.

When Duke didn't leave the room, Jones outfitted himself in his bulletproof vest.

Jones then saw Duke prepare to shoot Bay City Schools Superintendent Bill Husfelt from about 8 feet away, and he acted.

"When he fired the first shot, I had no recourse," Jones told reporters. "It was a gun battle then."

Duke squeezed off several rounds before Jones bolted in and, after exchanging gunfire with Duke, wounded Duke in the leg or side.

As Duke lay on the ground, he fatally shot himself, police Sgt. Jeff Becker said. No one else was hurt in the clash.

Tommye Lou Richardson, the school district's personnel director, who was at the meeting, called district security chief and former police officer Jones a hero. In video of the event, as Duke lay on the floor, colleagues comforted a shaken Jones, who said he had never shot anyone before.

Jones said he was supposed to be on vacation but instead was at the building to be available to answer some security questions during the meeting.

The retired detective said at the Panama City news conference Thursday that he wants to forget the showdown that resulted in Duke's death and get back to his charitable efforts helping the less fortunate.

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