News

Dad Speaks Out After Hero Son Helps Tackle Deadly School Shooter -- Just as He Kills His Friend

NewsPublished May 8, 2019
By Kaitlin Stanford
Brendan Bialy stands in front of a US Marine Corps sign, smiling.Kaitlyn Ross/Facebook

When news broke Tuesday of yet another tragic school shooting, most of us hung our heads in sadness, waiting for what we all know comes next -- the death toll, the heartbreaking stories of loss, the frantic moments that transpired as shots rang out. Tuesday's mass shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch in Denver, Colorado, -- which happened just eight miles from Columbine High School -- claimed the life of one and injured eight. Yet today, there is one bit of positive news that's beginning to grab headlines: The injuries and death toll could have been greater had it not been for the heroic efforts of a teen named Brendan Bialy and two of his friends.

Brendan's photo was shared this morning by 11Alive reporter Kaitlyn Ross, who hoped to spread a bit of positivity in the wake of the shooting.

"Brendan Bialy is an absolute hero," Ross wrote in her Facebook post. "Instead of sharing the pictures of the cowards who opened fire on children, let's share this young man's picture. He plans to join the Marines after graduation. Brendan, our country is lucky to have you."

The brave teen reportedly tackled one of the gunmen in the Colorado school shooting Tuesday, which prevented more lives from being taken. But he wasn't alone.

According to Brendan's dad, Brendan and two friends tried to tackle one of the shooters who entered their classroom.

His father, Brad, spoke to various outlets Tuesday, including NBC News and the New York Times, and briefly shared how it all went down.

Brad said his son told him he was sitting in class when a suspected shooter -- one of his classmates -- entered the room, reached into a guitar case, and pulled out a gun. Within seconds, he told the New York Times, Brendan and two of his friends tried to tackle the gunman. 

Brendan was ultimately able to subdue the shooter, along with the help of other classmates, but not before the shooter fired off a fatal shot that hit one of Brendan's friends in the chest.

That student has now been identified as 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo, who died shortly afterward.

Nui Giasolli, a senior at the high school, told NBC News that Kendrick lunged at the shooter before the fatal round went off. Those few vital seconds gave "all of us enough time to get underneath our desks, to get ourselves safe, and to run across the room to escape,” Nui recalled.

According to the teen, Brendan and his friends "were brave enough to bring him down so that all of us could escape and all of us could be reunited with our families.”

That bravery is perhaps no surprise to Brendan's proud dad, who shared with NBC News that his son hopes to join the US Marine Corps one day.

The Bialy family's pride in their son's bravery is eclipsed only by their heartbreak over why such violence unfolded in the first place.

"We are deeply saddened for the victims, families, friends, and community," the Bialy family said in a statement emailed to NBC News by their lawyer, Mark L. Bryant. "We'd like to commend the immediate response of law enforcement and assure all we are strong with the love of our families, community, friends, and everyone sending concern, wishes, and strength. We will persevere."

Two suspects are reportedly in custody -- 18-year-old Devon Erickson and a female minor who has not yet been identified.

At least one student who spoke with CBS This Morning reported that Erickson had expressed wanting to cause "harm and sadness" to his classmates.

"I always thought he was just messing around and stuff," said Michael Schwartz. "But sometimes he did hint at it here and there."

The aftermath of the shooting has been a "nightmare" for students and parents, said Nui's mother, Nyki -- but they're determined to pull through.

“It’s been so hard, but I did get to hold my babies last night and they are home with me now,” she told Today. (Nyki has a second child, a son, who also attends the school.)

As for Nui, she says she refuses to let Tuesday's events tear apart her school or leave students fearing for their lives every time they enter another classroom.

“I don't want to give the shooters the satisfaction of being afraid of some place that was my second home for four years,” she said. “I want to show them that even though they did this terrible, terrible thing, that we can all come together and we can all make it a happy place again, because that’s what really matters.”

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