NJ Victim of Virginia Tech Campus Shootings Shares Story For The First Time
By Cleve Bryan
WASHINGTON Twp., N.J., (CBS) – In front of an audience of more than 500 teachers and police officers, Virginia Tech shooting victim and Clearview High School graduate Sean McQuade told his story for the first time publicly on Wednesday.
He recalled the violence started during his German class. "The professor he's like 'does that sound like gun shots?' He looked at the door and said 'I'm almost afraid to go out there.' And that is the last memory I have," said McQuade with his mother Jody at his side.
He woke to the realization that a bullet went through his face, fractured his jaw and caused a traumatic brain injury. He had to learn to speak and write for a second time in life, but he says consistent progress helped keep his attitude positive.
"One question I get a lot is 'aren't I mad all the time?' – and I say no not even close. To me it was much worse for my family," says McQuade.
McQuade's comments highlighted the Southern New Jersey Prosecutor's Offices seventh annual School Safety and Security Conference. Police officers, teachers and administrators from the seven southern counties gathered this year with the theme "Standard Response Protocol."
Among the key note presenters were John-Michael Keyes and Sgt. A.J. DeAndrea who teamed together with the I Love U Guys Foundation.
Keyes started the foundation after his daughter Emily texted him the words "I love u guys" during a school hostage situation in Bailey, CO.
An intruder entered Platte Canyon High School on September 27, 2006 and took a classroom hostage before eventually shooting Emily Keyes.
"There's an elephant in the room. We don't talk to our kids about all of the threats," says Keyes.
DeAndrea was the SWAT Team Leader for Jefferson County in Colorado which oversaw the response to the Columbine massacre. DeAndrea and Keyes offered conference participants workshops on tactical response to shooting incidents and how to educate school districts on security.
For more information you can visit http://iloveuguys.org
