Jason Seaman, Heroic Indiana School Teacher Injured In Shooting, Proud Of Wounded 13-Year-Old
Jason Seaman, the Noblesville, Indiana, school teacher who stopped the gunman in last week’s school shooting, says he is proud of the 13-year-old girl who got shot.
As Time reports, Seaman, 29, was shot three times last Friday when he tackled the 13-year-old boy who allegedly opened fire on Seaman’s classroom. Though he’s being hailed a hero by his community, during a Monday news conference he made it clear that he neither wants nor deserves, the attention he’s been getting.
“As a person who isn’t looking for attention, nor entirely comfortable with the situation I’m currently in, I want to make it clear that my actions on that day, in my mind, were the only acceptable actions I could’ve done.”
Instead, he tried to deflect attention away from himself and towards the younger victims of the shooting. In particular, he mentioned the 13-year-old girl who was much more seriously injured than he was. The young lady, now identified as Ella Whistler, is in critical but stable condition as of this writing.
Seaman says he’s proud of her.
“I can’t say enough how proud of Ella I am and how we all should be,” Seaman said Monday. “Her courage and strength at such a young age is nothing short of remarkable, and we should all continue to keep her in our minds as she continues to recover.”
The parents of 13-year-old Ella Whistler shared a photo of their daughter as she continues to recover from injuries suffered in Friday's shooting at Noblesville West Middle School.
Join us in sending our very best wishes to Ella and her family!https://t.co/GmrtNH412Y pic.twitter.com/ZnZaKUARwq
— WTHR.com (@WTHRcom) May 26, 2018
As The Indianapolis Star reported Saturday, Ella, who was shot in the chest, remains hospitalized at Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health. Family and friends describe her as a “stellar student” with a bright personality. She loved to sing and was involved in her school’s choir.
A family friend has started a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe, and as of this writing has raised just over $33,000 for her medical bills. Similarly, a GoFundMe campaign for Seaman has raised just over $66,000 as of this writing.
As for the alleged gunman, police aren’t saying much, for now. His name is being kept under wraps because he’s a minor; similarly, police aren’t revealing if he had been in any trouble before, according to the Daily Mail. They are confirming that he “likely” acted alone.
Teachers and fellow students who knew the alleged gunman as a “nice kid” who didn’t seem particularly out of the ordinary.
According to a Friday CNN report, as of this writing, there have been 23 school shootings in the United States in which at least one person was injured or killed.
