Va. Tech Senior May Have Saved Classmates

Zach Petkewicz Held A Door Closed, Preventing Shooter From Entering Classroom

(CBS)  On Monday, Virginia Tech was the scene of a shooting rampage that left 33 people dead, including the possible shooter. With at least 15 people injured, it's the worst campus shooting in U.S. history.

Zach Petkewicz was in a classroom in Virginia Tech's Norris Hall when the shooter made his way down the hallway and tried repeatedly to enter the classroom full of students.

That shooter eventually killed 33 people including himself and it's possible he could have killed more if Petkwozicz, a senior, had not acted.

At first, Petkewicz and his classmates thought the gunshots were just some construction. Then he heard a girl scream.

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Click here to see photos of the Virginia Tech shooting.

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"Two of the girls in my class looked out the hall and saw a guy coming out into the hallway with a gun pointed down to the ground," Petkewicz told The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith. "They slammed the door shut and just told everybody. Everybody kind of went into a panic — didn't know what to do. I hid behind the teacher's podium and then realized, you know, there's nothing locking this door; he's just going to come in. So I said we need to barricade this door. Two of my classmates got up and helped me. We just held the table there…Meanwhile, all these gunshots are going on. He eventually came, tried to open the door, didn't go. Tried to shoulder his way in, got the door open about 6 inches. We had to slam it back shut on him.

"That's when he put two bullets into the center of the door, thinking we were up against it, trying to close him out. He then reloaded. I was against the ground, right against the door. I thought he was coming in for a second round, but for the grace of God, he just kept going and didn't try to get back in there."

Including himself, Petkewicz said there were 11 students in the classroom. The experience has still not fully registered and he said it's "kind of surreal." He didn't see the shooters face and didn't see his demeanor. All Petkewicz could think about was keeping the shooter out of the classroom.

"I didn't hear a word from him," Petkewicz said. "And I didn't see him at all. I was — I was just trying to push that table up against that door."

Of course, Petkewicz's parents are very concerned and wanted to come get him. Petkwozicz, who looked visibly shaken during his interview, said he would rather stay with his friends.

"Never thought in my wildest dreams I'd be in a situation like that," he said.

[bobgee_1999]

ramos937 : Funny, I heard the Fat One on the radio say the same thing about using it for political gain, but like you, I hadn't heard anyone trying to do so. But, interestingly Limbloat is a political figure in a sense, a partisan hack, so I guess he's right and that he is the first to attempt to use it for political gain.

[ramos937]

First, a word about this young man and his friends. You are super in my book. By doing what you did, you saved not only your lives but also those of your classmates. I hope someone pins medals on you. You deserve nothing but the best.

Now about "HATE RADIO". This morning, I listed to a right wing talk show host. He stated that Democrats were blaming the President for the VT shootings and that they have started using the tragedy for political gain. Frankly, there is really nothing that good folks can do to respond but to remember that there are good Republicans and good Democrats. No one running for any office I know of has tried to use this tragedy for political gain.

[jetlizhan]

i also meant to add this to my last post - i work for a university in NC and this morning i was walking to the campus store for a drink - i counted off 32 students as i passed them - that is a huge amount of young people that are no longer on the VT campus. the atmosphere here at my university is very somber and i can see fear in the students' eyes. they're watching everything and everybody - which they should. just breaks my heart.

[jetlizhan]

God bless this quick thinking brave young man! he no doubt saved himself and his entire class. my son is right much older than all these students, so to me they are 'babies' - i pray for all the parents whom lost their babies yesterday. what an unspeakable horror.

[grazinggoat]

We never know our mission until we're confronted with it, to perform at our best. Zach is a hero for many. He's a real HUMAN as the Creator wanted them to be. He's one for me too! Blessed!

[petesis]

This kid and his classmates on the door are heroic. Quick thinking and some courage prevented at least a small part of this tragedy.

[cmp271]

It shows how petty the nappy headed hos at Rutgers are. Where are Jackson and Sharpton to criticize this? Another school at risk of being sued. How many colleges have a plan in place? If not I guess we need to now.

This is a real tragedy and will impact the lives of all who are at this school.

All of our thoughts are with the parents of the unfortunate students as well as the wounded. Let's hope they all make it.

[tm_bailey]

I don't know what to say....this is horrible. I'm the same age as most of the students at VA Tech. I wouldn't have known what to do. Just as their lives are begining, it's gone. I feel horrible for the relatives of these individuals. I couldn't imagine life without my daughter and she's only a year old. My heart goes out to you!

[smithwatson]

I thought the comments/questions by Harry Smith interviewing Zach Petkwozicz this morning were inappropriate and uncalled for, "Have you dealt with it? Have you broken down?"

[fenrir2]

I'd like to tie this into the Imus/Rutgers discussion.

How?

When a bunch of girls who LOST a championship game get all worked up over 3 small words from an idiot, saying "He stole out moment...!"

How fragile have some elements of our society become?

The Rutgers team is on one end of the spectrum. In their case, I would have been more impressed if they came forward and said "with such a comment, the subject has to consider the source. Imus is an idiot, ergo his comment is idiocy, and anyone who holds onto it is an idiot. We choose not to, which is why we don't listen to him or his program. We also question those who do." That would have marginalized Imus.

On the other end of the spectrum is this tragedy.

WHAT SET THIS GUY OFF? What hit his fragile ego so hard that he felt the answer, the appropriate response was to load up and go on a shooting spree?

How many more of these fragile egos are there?

And how many more are we creating with all this political correctness?

[netadmin1-2009]

Ozzie

At least we don't have suicide bombers here in the US, yet. I do believe not only they, but IED's and car bombings will eventually make it over here to our country.

[themartyred]

so the baltic guy shot up a mall and killed a bunch, a south Korean student shot up and killed a college (no thanks to lazy campus police not cancelling class or charging in)... what's with the foreign students being so nutty?????
and God BLESS this Petkewicz man, what a SMART and BRAVE student... some of the others in the other class should have charged him or blocked the door too, but who knows how any would react, I would hope I'd work with 2 or 3 other guys to charge him while he's reloading and most likely take a LONE shooter down

[robertwise4]

my god have mercy on therie souls

[ladibug2004]

My thoughts and prayers go out to the students and also to the families of those who were lost.
I feel a sense of loss myself-even though I dont know any one up there.
I worry about my 4yr old child, who will be starting school this August. I worry that if something isnt done to better protect our schools then this is going to happen again. Parents shouldnt have worry about if something like this is going to happen at our childrens schools! Schools are supposed to be safe places for children to go! Children are now going to be worried if something like this is going to happen to them while at school and I think that its going to create distractions and anxiety... Removing all guns from peoples hands isnt the answer, we have to educate our children and give them the knowledge of how to protect themselves by being smart, not by using guns. Obviously, Zach didnt know exactly what to do, but he chose to be smart when a life threatening situation stared him in the face. What he did saved not only his life, but the lives of others. He is a hero.

[ozziepooh90]

And what kind of control would you want? Take the guns out of every american hands? Then that would only leave the guns in the hands of the ones who really don't care if there are laws or not !!!!
And I do feel for the people at the school and very sorry for there loss. But even if there were stricter guns laws if this person really wanted to do this he would have found a way, if it was with guns or something else. They will always find a way. Atleast we don't have suicide bombers here in the USA!

my prayers are with the families of those whose died.Once again this is such a senseless tragedy.And to me it prove no matter how you try to pass a gun control, people will find way to get them anyway.