ST. LOUIS — A safety officer at Central Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) credits his military instincts for his quick action when a shooter opened fire inside of the school on Monday.
“When that gun was pointed at me...that AR-15 was pointed at me...I knew it was real right then and there,” Germaine Yancy, CVPA safety officer, said. “I had to run for my life, by me being unarmed I don't have defense mechanisms to fight with."
It was about 9:00 a.m. on Monday morning when Yancy heard loud banging.
"I said hey, hey, hey,” Yancy said. “As soon as I saw that he aimed the AR-15 at me and shot at me."
I took off and ran down the hallway up against the wall because my instincts went into training mode -- don't ever run in the middle of fire -- run off to the side.
Yancy spent nearly 30 years in the armed services.
"I have extensive training from infantry during my time in the [United States] Marine Corps," Yancy said.
But after retiring in 2019 he wanted to make a different impact on society.
"I felt like God put me in schools for a reason, so I could move kids in the right direction,” the safety officer said.
The direction was to safety.
The safety officer of nearly five years ran up three flights of stairs to warn students and staff of the threat. He heard more than a dozen shots.
"My life was just flashing before my eyes,” he said. "When I got upstairs...I told everyone...close all the doors. We have an active shooter...it's real...we need to get out of here."
Yancy’s heart aches for the loss of teacher Jean Kuczka and student Alexzandria Bell. He said he knew both of them well.
As he reflected, he said he is happy for those who he could protect.
"God had me in the right place at the right time...I was there for a reason," Yancy said. "There could've been more lives taken."
"Thank God I did what I could do as an officer to get everyone to safety," he said. "Safety was my main concern first and foremost."
Yancy said active shooter training was so important for being prepared for the shooting.
He said he encourages schools and law enforcement to always stay prepared.
It could be the difference between life and death, he said.
To watch 5 On Your Side broadcasts or reports 24/7, 5 On Your Side is always streaming on 5+. Download for free on Roku or Amazon Fire TV.