Teacher tackles gunman
<p>Debbie Center, left, consoles her daughter Deanna, 13, who was in the middle school library at the time of a shooting, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010, as they leave Stony Creek Elementary Elementary School in Littleton, Colo. Students from Deer Creek Middle School were evacuated to neighboring Stony Creek after a shooting occurred at the middle school. (AP Photo/The Denver Post, Kathryn Scott Osler) MANDATORY CREDIT. MAGS OUT. TV OUT.</p>
LITTLETON, Colo. - A teacher tackled a man armed with a high-powered rifle just after two teenage students were shot Tuesday at a suburban Denver middle school which sits just miles from Columbine High School, the site of one of the nation's deadliest school shootings, authorities said.
One male and one female were shot around 3:30 p.m. outside Deer Creek Middle School in Littleton, Jefferson County Sheriff's office spokeswoman Jacki Kelley said. Both students were taken to a nearby hospital and were expected to survive.
Student Steven Seagraves said he was about 10 feet away when an adult approached students and asked them: "Do you guys go to this school?"
When the students said they did, he shot them, Seagraves said.
Seventh-grade math teacher David Benke, a 6-foot-5 inch former college basketball player who oversees the school's track team, tackled the suspect as he was trying to reload his weapon.
"He was trying to rack another round. He couldn't get another round in before I got to him so I grabbed him," Benke said, recalling that he didn't have time to fear for his life.
Benke's wife said her husband called her after the shooting.
"He said there was a shooting and that he had to tackle the gunman," Sandra Benke said. She said her husband was upset that he couldn't reach the shooter before two rounds were fired. "He said, 'It was one of my students.'"
The sheriff's office identified the suspect as 32-year-old Bruco Strongeagle Eastwood, a man they say had visited the school before and was inside the building shortly before the shooting. Authorities have not said what his connection is to the school.
He is expected to make his first court appearance Wednesday morning and may face at least two counts of attempted murder.
A man who answered the phone Tuesday night at a number listed for Eastwood identified himself only as "Mr. Eastwood" and said he was Bruco Eastwood's father. He was at a loss for words.
"There's nothing you can say about it. What can you say?" the man told The Associated Press. "Pretty dumb thing to do. I feel bad for the people involved." He wouldn't comment further.
The victims, Reagan Webber and Matt Thieu, were both treated at Littleton Adventist Hospital. Christine Alexander, a hospital spokeswoman, said Webber was treated and released to her home, and that Thieu was transferred to another hospital.
Authorities say both victims had surgery Tuesday evening.