Superintendent who disarmed gunman is hailed as a hero

June 11, 2009
Ken Mitchell, head of the South Orangetown (N.Y.) district, is embarrassed by the attention

From The Middletown Times-Herald-Record: Ken Mitchell, superintendent of the South Orangetown (N.Y.) Central School District reluctantly faced the television cameras in front of South Orangetown Middle School in Blauvelt, N.Y., steps from where he disarmed a gun-wielding parent a day earlier. "I'm a little embarrassed," said Ken Mitchell. "I don't think what I did was heroic." Heroism wasn't on Mitchell's mind when the suspect, Peter Cocker, strode into the superintendent's office, gun in hand.

ALSO...from The Lower Hudson Journal-News: Though tired from a restless night's sleep and shaken from a gunman's attack, Superintendent Ken Mitchell arrived at work to a flood of gratitude.

Earlier From The Lower Hudson Journal News: A former New York City police officer upset about the swine flu epidemic entered South Orangetown Middle School in Blauvelt, N.Y., Tuesday morning with a gun, but was disarmed by the schools superintendent, who tackled him and wrestled the weapon away. No one was injured, and the gunman was in custody. As many as three shots were fired, with one hitting the ceiling in Superintendent Ken Mitchell's office, which is in the middle school building. Mitchell, 55, was not hurt. The gunman reportedly lives in the school district, and one of his children was sick recently with the H1N1 virus.

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