1. The first victims of the Florida school shooting have been named, including a hero teacher who died shielding students.
The first victims of yesterday’s massacre at a Florida high school have been identified through social media.
Teenage student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Jaime Guttenberg, who attended the school alongside her brother Jesse, was fatally injured when the gunman opened fire yesterday afternoon, shortly before school ended.
Posting to Facebook, her father Fred Guttenberg said his “heart is broken”.
“Yesterday, Jennifer Bloom Guttenberg and I lost our baby girl to a violent shooting at her school. We lost our daughter and my son Jesse Guttenberg lost his sister. I am broken as I write this trying to figure out how my family gets through this. Hugs to all and hold your children tight.”
Another student, Alyssa Alhadeff, has also been reported dead after her cousin, Melissa Dibble, appealed for help locating her on social media.
“If anyone has a connection with an ER Doctor at any of the hospitals near the shooting- please have them look for our cousin. Her name is Alyssa Alhadeff and we have family members at each hospital. Prayers needed,” the plea for help read, alongside a picture of Alyssa with her grandfather.
Shortly after, an update from Alyssa’s family on social media said she had died, with another cousin Ariella Del Quaglio saying she’s “at a loss for words”.
As well as this, a message from Alyssa’s soccer club read: “To Alyssa’s friends, honor Alyssa by doing something fabulous in your life. Don’t ever give up and inspire for greatness. Live for Alyssa!”
The school’s aquatic team is mourning the death of student Nicholas Dworet and released a statement saying: “It’s with a heavy heart that we have to announce that our family member, teammate, TS Aquatics swimmer Nick Dworet has passed away.”
His girlfriend, Daria Chiarella, also shared a photograph of Nicholas to social media.
The school’s assistant American Football coach, Aaron Feis, was reportedly killed when he dived in front of a pupil to shield the child from the gunman’s bullets.
According to the school’s head football coach Willis May, a student said Feis jumped between her and the attacker while pushing her through a doorway to safety, BBC reports. Another student said Feis “took several bullets to cover for other students”.
“He died a hero,” the football team wrote to social media.
Can everyone please take a second to pray for my coach today he took serval bullets covering other students at Douglas . pic.twitter.com/8AMG7t6tpH
— Charlie Rothkopf (@RothkopfCharlie) February 14, 2018