HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — One brave student stepping forward may have stopped a school shooting from happening last week at Hernando High School.
Not all heroes where capes or uniforms. Some wear Nike sneakers, floral shirts, glitter polish and like to stay out of the spotlight.
Student arrested for threatening to shoot up Hernando High School
Students prevent two possible school shootings in the Bay Area this week
"I’m hardly involved, I like to stay in the corners," said Jamie Pankow, a Hernando High School senior.
Pankow describes herself as a shy and very quiet girl.
"But when it comes to something like this, I will say something," said Pankow.
Last Wednesday Pankow says she read a text message from an old friend that was very disturbing.
"He was saying something about a specific person that he wanted to make them bleed out," said Pankow.
She says after that she knew she had to do something.
"I thought about it really hard, it didn’t take too long, and I just went up and had my teacher call Deputy Pope so I could talk to him," said Pankow.
The 17-year-old student who made the threat was arrested later that day and told deputies he was indeed planning to shoot people at the school.
"Even though it was a good thing to do, I still feel bad that I had to report him even though it needed to be done," said Pankow.
"We’re really proud of her and what she’s done. She showed a lot of courage," said Angela Miller, Assistant Principal at Hernando High School.
Miller says it's important for schools to create a culture where students are comfortable in going to adults for serious situations.
"If it doesn’t feel right or look right, step up and tell an authority," said Miller.
Just like Pankow says she hopes any other student in her shoes would have done.
