Just When You Thought You Heard It All News (8-24-2013)

This woman is a real American hero. I can only hope that the staff in my children's school's have at least one individual who is this brave, selfless, and courageous.

Antoinette Tuff reportedly convinced Michael Brandon Hill, the gunman who burst into the office of Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy in Georgia to surrender to police. Hill was reportedly off his medication at the time. 

The 911 tapes from a frightening standoff and shooting at an Atlanta-area school show how a school employee’s calm demeanor and kind approach helped end the ordeal without any injuries.

Police said Wednesday that school bookkeeper Antoinette Tuff was heroic in how she responded after being taken hostage a day earlier by Michael Brandon Hill, a 20-year-old man with a history of mental health issues. Hill went to the school armed with an AK 47-style rifle and nearly 500 rounds of ammunition, police said.

On a recording of a 911 call released Wednesday, Tuff can be heard relaying messages from Hill to DeKalb County emergency dispatchers before convincing him to surrender. She tells the dispatcher that Hill said he wasn’t there to hurt the children but wanted to talk to an unarmed officer.

“He said, `Call the probation office in DeKalb County and let them know what’s going on,’” Tuff is heard telling the dispatcher. “He said he should have just went to the mental hospital instead of doing this, because he’s not on his medication.”

No one was injured, but police said the suspect shot into the floor and exchanged gunfire with officers who had surrounded Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy in Decatur, a suburb east of Atlanta. The school has 870 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.

The exchange between Tuff and the suspect was captured on a recording of a 911 call made by school officials to dispatchers.

Tuff begins by telling Hill of her own struggles, including raising a disabled child and losing her husband. The bookkeeper reassured him by saying he didn’t hurt anyone, hadn’t harmed her and could still surrender peacefully.

“We’re not gonna hate you, baby. It’s a good thing that you’re giving up,” Tuff says after having Hill put his weapons and ammunition on the counter. Tuff tells Hill she loves him and will pray for him.

Before he surrendered, Tuff took to the school’s public address system to say Hill was sorry for what he’d done and didn’t want to hurt anyone – although the lockdown remained in effect.

Hill is charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, terroristic threats and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Police declined to discuss what he told them when questioned.

This story proves that contrary to popular belief, not all teenagers are a lost cause. In fact, their are some who achieve excellence.

Florida Teenager Gabrielle Turnquest has a habit of breaking scholastic records. After becoming the youngest person to graduate from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., at age 16, Ms. Turnquest achieved another milestone by becoming the youngest person to pass the Bar of England and Wales exam at 18.

The English media reported Turnquest’s amazing feat, and it appears that educational excellence runs in the family, her sister, Kandi also passed the bar exam at 22-years-old. The average age of lawyers taking the Bar Professional Training Course is 27.

Although Turnquest is qualified to work in the United Kingdom, she wants to return to America to qualify for the Bar there as well.

“I am honored to be the youngest person to pass the Bar exams but, really, I was not aware at the time what the average age was,” said Turnquest, who is from the town of Windermere, Fla. “I didn’t fully realize the impact of it.”

Turnquest also has an opportunity to qualify for the Bahamas Bar, a goal of hers since that is her parents’ native country. If she does want to work in the UK, however, she would have to work at the apprentice level for at least one year before being offered tenure.

Turnquest hopes to become a fashion law specialist. At her current rate, there’s no reason not to expect she’ll be successful in her aims there as well.

      Irony is probably the most over used word in the English language. Often taken out of context and misused. But this story is the definition of irony. 

Detroit EMS technician Joseph Hardman reportedly suffered a heart attack as he was performing CPR on a patient en route to the hospital last Friday.

While reportedly performing CPR on a patient, Hardman began experiencing a heart attack of his own. Instead of panicking, Hardman reportedly continued to administer the life-saving technique on the heart patient until they arrived at the hospital and then he admitted himself in to the emergency room. 

Now that's dedication. I'm one of the nicest guys in the world but if it came down to my heart attack versus his, lets just say..........he would have been in big trouble.

Upon his arrival at the medical facility, Hardman was then examined and rushed in to surgery, where he had to undergo a cardiac procedure.  According to EMS union rep Joe Barney, Hardman “nearly died and had to go to surgery.”

Hardman’s patient survived and is reportedly recovering only three beds away from him at the hospital.

And now, for the freak of the week. Or in this guys case, super freak of the week.

Looks like this dude definitely rubbed some people the wrong way. 

 Julio Yanez of Boone, N.C., was

arrested Aug. 15, after he allegedly entered a woman's unsecured apartment, got in her bed and tried to give her a back rub.

According to WXII, the 29 year old had already been arrested for similar offenses twice before.

In a July incident, the victim told Yanez to leave, but he refused and tried to giver her a back rub. The victim rebuffed him, then asked Yanez to leave again, according the local media. He was later arrested. 

After his July arrest, additional women came forward and claimed Yanez had entered their rooms and tried to give them back rubs in April and June. 

Yanez is charged with two counts of breaking and entering and assault on a female, and one count of being too "touchy feelie". He is due in court Sept. 17. 

PR