‘My kids were so brave,' says Forest High School teacher who confronted gunman

MARION COUNTY, Fla. — A Marion County high school teacher who confronted an accused gunman at Forest High School told her heroic story publicly for the first time.

Kelly Panasuk told members of the school board and the community Tuesday night about the chilling moment when she brought Sky Bouche into her classroom full of students after he had been accused of shooting a 17-year-old in the ankle at Forest High School on Friday.

“My kids were so brave. Bringing him in the room, I knew, would be a traumatic thing, but it was that decision that had to be made,” Panasuk said.

Panasuk said she convinced Bouche to drop his sawed-off shotgun before he went into her classroom.

“I opted that was the best way to save them was to make sure that he did not change his mind and go back after that gun,” Panasuk said.

During the school board meeting, Panasuk added a bit of humor when trying to dispel rumors that she chased the suspect and tackled him down.

“If I were to run after him, I would trip and fall on him and that would be the only way I would be tackling him,” Panasuk said.

Even though she’s being called as a hero by students and staff, she said she doesn’t deserve the credit.

“It’s those kids. It’s those kids all the way. They were my heroes. They really were,” Panasuk said.

The teacher will be one of many set to be honored Wednesday by students and Gov. Rick Scott.

The school board approved spending $225,000 to fund resource officers in every school for the rest of the year.

Cox Media Group