Monday, December 7, 2015

Washington Post: San Bernardino victim shielded female co-worker during shooting, saving her life"

Described by friends as “a protector to all of those he loved,” 45-year-old Shannon Johnson wrapped his arms around his younger female co-worker when the shooting began and told her, “I got you.”

Johnson died in the San Bernardino massacre last week. Denise Peraza, the 27-year-old he comforted, lived.

Peraza told reporters in a statement over the weekend that she is alive because Johnson selflessly shielded her from the gunfire:
Wednesday morning at 10:55 a.m. we were seated next to each other at a table, joking about how we thought the large clock on the wall might be broken because time seemed to be moving so slowly.
I would have never guessed that only 5 minutes later, we would be huddled next to each other under the same table, using a fallen chair as a shield from over 60 rounds of bullets being fired across the room.
While I cannot recall every single second that played out that morning, I will always remember his left arm wrapped around me, holding me as close as possible next to him behind that chair.
And amidst all the chaos, I’ll always remember him saying these three words, “I got you.”
I believe I am still here today because of this amazing man. This amazing, selfless man who always brought a smile to everyone’s face in the office with his lively stories about his hometown back in Georgia.
This is Shannon Johnson, who will be deeply missed by all. This is Shannon Johnson. My friend, my hero.
A friend of Johnson’s girlfriend set up a GoFundMe page to cover the cost of sending his remains home to Georgia where he is from and his family still lives. They surpassed their $35,000 goal, raising close to $50,000 as of late Sunday night.

8 comments:

bagoh20 said...

I'll say it again, I love these web funding things. This hero would have likely disappeared from the news and his family ending up getting nothing but a bill in return for his sacrifice, but at least with this new mechanism, grateful people can quickly and directly do something to thank him. If only he or anyone there had a gun. In fact, even if the murderers knew it was likely someone had a gun there, some or all might be alive today.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

This is the average American. Not the bigoted strawman Obama keeps going on and on about.

edutcher said...

Guts. What makes this country great.

Still.

And what Lem said.

ampersand said...

Meanwhile NY Daily News columnist blames victim.

Amartel said...

We still got it, some of U.S.

Quite a relief to see evidence thereof. Thank you Shannon Johnson.

But NYDN. Hard to believe a mind that would feel so free to blame a murder victim, and a paper that will publicize that contempt. All the little evils that make up a big evil. There will always be minds like this, always, but they don't always have such room to roam.

bagoh20 said...

Linda Stasi of the Daily News is the bigot, and also a complete fool for equating opinion with murder. Clearly, she believes anyone who disagrees with her politics deserves to be shot at a Christmas party. How do people so bigoted and stupid get jobs writing opinions in major outlets? Daily News, is that really the best you could find to write for you? I hope you don't pay for that shit.

chickelit said...

John 15:13

Also, old fashioned chivalry which did not go down with the Titanic.

chickelit said...

Linda Stasi's name says it all. You can't make that shit up.