Mattoon Teacher Honored w/Carnegie Hero Award

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Published on June 25 2019 9:05 am
Last Updated on June 25 2019 9:05 am
Written by Greg Sapp

The Mattoon teacher who helped end an incident involving a student with a gun has been recognized as a Carnegie Hero.

(ANGELA McQUEEN)

40-year-old Angela Lynn McQueen is one of 18 individuals recognized this year by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission. McQueen was working at Mattoon High School on September 20, 2017 while students were at lunch in the school cafeteria. A then-14-year-old boy showed students a pistol he had brought to school. A student notified McQueen and as she approached, the boy fired the gun. McQueen lunged for the gun and forced the boy's hand upward toward the ceiling as he continued to fire. McQueen kept the gun pointed to the ceiling until the gun was emptied, and then disarmed him as a school resource officer arrived to handcuff him. One student was struck by a bullet but has recovered.

McQueen suffered minor hearing loss in both ears and post traumatic stress disorder. The remaining students and staff escaped the cafeteria unharmed. The shooter was convicted of the incident and will remain in custody until he turns 21.

The Carnegie Medal is given throughout the US and Canada to those who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the lives of others. The fund was established more than 115 years ago by industrialist-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.