Kendrick Castillo was in English class when a classmate walked in and opened fire. As shots rang out, the 18-year-old Castillo charged the shooter and slammed him against the wall. Aided by two classmates, Castillo disarmed the attacker and ended the shooting.
He also perished in the attack.
Brendan Bialy, who helped Castillo and fellow student Joshua Jones subdue the attacker, said Castillo's sacrifice saved the lives of many of his classmates.
"Kendrick Castillo died a legend," Bialy told the Denver Post. "He died a trooper. He got his ticket to Valhalla, and I know he will be with me for the rest of my life."
Bialy said he saw the gunman walk into the classroom, pull out a gun, and begin shooting. He then saw Castillo rush the attacker "like a bowling ball" and slam into him.
"The gunman was there, then he was against the wall, and didn’t know what the hell hit him," Bialy said.
Bialy and Jones then jumped on the shooter, wrestled the gun away from him, and subdued him. But their victory over the attacker didn't come until Jones suffered two non-life-threatening gunshot wounds and Castillo was fatally wounded.
Castillo's heroic sacrifice will never be forgotten by the students at Colorado's STEM School Highlands Ranch or by the Washington Free Beacon.
"Kendrick Castillo's name should stick in your brains forever," Bialy said. "It's going to stick in mine. It's going to stick in students who go to STEM's mind forever. That will never leave us. It's that name and knowing that you do not have to be a victim in a situation like that at all. Choose to take action. Choose to help others."
