Fifteen-year-old Christian Riley Garcia, one of the 10 people killed in the shooting at Santa Fe High School last Friday, died while protecting his classmates.
[Also read: Santa Fe High School shooter identified as 17-year-old male student]
According to his family’s pastor, Keenan Smith, Garcia was shot through the door of an art classroom that he was trying to hold shut. But his efforts weren’t in vain — Garcia reportedly held the door long enough that other students managed to escape through another exit.
“He was holding a door shut so that he could protect other students that were there,” Smith told local ABC affiliate KTRK.
“He lost his life when a gunshot came through the door. [The gunshot] took his life but, in the sacrifice of his own life, others were allowed to escape and had some time to get away. We know there were several lives lost but his story is a story of true heroism. He gave himself so others would have a chance,” the pastor explained.
Smith was with Garcia’s mother when she received the news. “She broke, of course as you can imagine,” he said. “Thinking that but yet also proud of her son that he thought outside of himself but also wanting to hold her baby. It’s a difficult thing. At 15 years old, that’s not what you’re supposed to give your life doing.”
According to CNN, Smith baptized Garcia, and in an interview “described him as a fun-loving kid who loved football and enjoyed being outdoors.”
“This doesn’t ease the pain any. It doesn’t stop the void that will forever be there, but it does bring a measure of peace,” said Smith.
