all students and faculty at ronald mcnair learning academy in dekalb county are safe.ries. the students, it will take a while. all 870 of them, are being taken to the walmart. where parents should go to reunite with their child. still, an incredibly heavy police presence outside this school. if you try to go pick up your child, you are not going to get past the barricades. the road is shut down a half mile back from the school. there's the first bus leaving now. taking students over to the walmart on russian road to be reunited with parents. that is where, if your child goes to school, you need to be heading to that walmart right now. duffy, do you have anything? >> reporter: just pointing ow-of-out what you poircnt ud o. the business is going to the walmart on gregs road. when we looked at the kids and where they are outside the school, they're formed in small groups. i imagine counting them off how many can sgee a bus at a time. it will take a while for the buss to get out of that area, because there are so many police cars and other authorities on-scene. again, for

injuries at ronald mcnair discovery learning academy. about 800 students attend school there. school started a week ago yesterday in the area. what we know right now is the gunman is in custody. according to reports, he entered the building and demanded someone at the school call a local television station and police. the suspect has been described simply by race as a white male. those are all the details we have there. this obviously brings up so many emotions as school has just started in the south and will be starting throughout the country moving in the week ahead. to see hundreds of children evacuated under these circumstances, absolutely chilling. there are some 800 students there. no injuries at this time. the complete motive of why this individual would walk into this school and what escalated to the shots being fired, we're getting those details as we speak. but a dekalb county school official i says the suspect is in custody after the incident at ronald mcnair discovery learning center. this happened this evening. authorities say the suspect made demands upon enterin

reports of gunfire at ronald mcnair discovery learning academy near atlanta. the children were escorted to the back of the school grounds for safety as dozens of law enforcement agents scoured the campus. >> i never thought something like that would happen in my neighborhood, period. >> reporter: police say a 20-year-old michael brandon hill carrying an ak-47 and other weapons slipped past a buzzer security system and into the school by following someone who was authorized to be there. >> he didn't get any further than the front office. he barricaded himself with a couple office employees. >> reporter: as police arrived, the gunman left the office firing at least half a dozen rounds at responding officers. >> the officers were able to return fire. when they saw him in -- alone. >> reporter: when police fired back, the suspect dropped to the ground and surrendered. >> my husband called and said, hey, the baby is -- there's a gunman at his school. and i'm like, what? >> reporter: hundreds of parents scrambled to a nearby walmart parking lot waiting for hours to

incident sent more than 800 elementary students, teachers and staffers scrambling for safety at the ronald mcnair learning academy in decatur georgia. a lone gunman showed up at the elementary school just afternoon armed with an ak-47 assault rival. sources say the 19-year-old gun man entered the school and exited twice to fire shots into the air. police say during his time in the building the gunman ordered a school secretary to call wsv. station employee lacey answered that call. she says i'm transferring someone and she says she's in a school office with a gunman. i asked her what he wanted and he said he wanted us to start filming as police die. >> the dekalb county police responded to the school. according to chief alexander fired at the gunman. >> he fired anywhere from half a dozen shots when he fired out of the building at police officers when approaching the scene. when officers had a clear shot they returned fire. fortunately no one was injured. >> the gunman quickly surrendered. fourth grader raven cobb was inside the school when the shooting erupted. >> we were at our desk and put our

around lunchtime, police say a 19-year-old man wearing dark clothes walked into the front office at ronald mcnair discovery learning academy with an ak-47 and told the clerk to call a local tv station. as officers approached, police say he stepped outside the school and fired at least six shots. when police fired back, he dropped to the ground and surrendered. no one was injured. >> i'm in shock. i never thought something like this would happen in my neighborhood, period. >> reporter: for linda bell, it was three hours of agony. the wait for her 6-year-old son. >> my husband called and said hey, the baby is -- there's a gunman at his school. i'm, like, what? >> reporter: hundreds of other panicked parents crowded with her in this walmart parking lot. but many here are also asking how a man allegedly with a weapon got into the building. >> he entered that property, coming in we suspect behind someone. >> reporter: eight months after 20 students and 6 teachers were gunned down at sandy hook elementary in connecticut. many schools across the country have tightened security, hired armed guards, even

around lunchtime, police say a 19-year-old man wearing dark clothes walked into the front office at ronald mcnair discovery learning academy with an ak-47 and told the clerk to call a local tv station. as officers approached, police say he stepped outside the school and fired at least six shots. when police fired back, he dropped to the ground and surrendered. no one was injured. >> i never thought something like this would happen in my neighborhood, period. >> reporter: for linda bell, it was three hours of agony. the wait for her 6-year-old son. >> my husband called and said hey, the baby is -- there's a gunman at his school. i'm, like, what? >> reporter: hundreds of other panicked parents crowded with her in this walmart parking lot. but many here are also asking how a man allegedly with a weapon got into the building. >> he entered that property, coming in we suspect behind someone. >> reporter: eight months after 20 students and 6 teachers were gunned down at sandy hook elementary in connecticut. many schools have tightened security, hired armed guards, even sponsored shooting sessions. >> h

the name of the school is the ronald e. mcnair discovery learning academy. >> all right. thank you very much. we're going to go to wxia. this is the local affiliate talking with parents right now who are being reunited with their children. let's listen in. >> it's a matter of gathering all the children together and getting them over here. you have children in the school as well? >> i have two. >> how old are they? >> 8 and 6. >> have you heard anything about where they are? >> my husband is up there at the school right now. he said they're waiting for them to clear the streets out. once they do that, they're going to bus them down. >> you just spoke to your husband on the telephone? >> i just spoke to him on the phone. >> we wish you all the best. >> they're going to be okay. >> that's the latest from the walmart parking lot. >> again, this is wxia, the affiliate there in it the parking lot of the walmart, which is very close to this elementary school. it was evacuated. this all happening within the past hour. according to police, an individual was able to enter that scho

and yesterday, he alledgedly threatened to kill everyone at the ronald mcnair learning academy. >> he said, i'm not playing. this is for real. this is not for show. >> reporter: armed with an assault rifle, he slipped into the school and barricaded himself inside the front office. as he opened fire on the police officers outside, school clerk, antoinette tuff tried to talk him down. >> he was going to end his life and take all the cops and everybody with him. he had a look that he was willing to kill. matter of fact, he said it. he said he didn't have any reason to live. and that, he knew he was going to die today. >> reporter: she single-handedly talked him into surrendering, as teachers rushed the children out of the school. >> i give it all to god. i'm not the hero. i was terrified. >> reporter: tears of joy that no one was hurt. >> everybody's safe. everybody's safe. >> reporter: investigators are now looking into how hill got into the school to begin with. police believe he likely followed someone in through the front door. but he never made it past the main office. kristin fishe

all are safe after a gunman opened fire yesterday. 800 students at the ronald e. mcnairing center running for their lives. >> the suspect reportedly slipped through security. now we hear from the heroic school clerk who talked the shooter down. >> he had a backpack full of ammunition. he had all of the magazines in his backpack. some was in his pocket i had him empty everything put the gun on the table took his wallet off and told him to lay on the floor and i told police he is giving himself up. i talked him through it. he is 20-year-old michael brandon hill. he fired half a dozen shots at police. a friend says hill had a troubled past. he is charged with aggravated assault on a police officer terroristic threats and possession of a firearm. >> hundreds of parents eager to be reunited with their kids indicated at a nearby wal-mart. as the school buses showed up tears began to flow. this as police i am happy no kids were hurt and i am happy that he is off the streets. we don't know what happened. >> the school superintendent says the gunman slipped through the front door

desperate teachers at the ronald e. mcnair me outside atlanta, rushing the young children single file away from danger. a police officer at the child's level telling her it will be all right. inside the grade school, a man with a gun losing his mind. >> there were shots that were fired. exactly how many, and how that all transpired i just don't have the details. >> reporter: police i dent fight -- identified the gunman as 20-year-old michael brandon hill. they say he entered the front office with an ak-47 knock-off and a number of weapons he told the receptionist to call local abc affiliate wsb to send police a message. >> i thought perhaps it was a prank. >> reporter: the tv station says he wanted a news crew to come to the school to record people dying. when police arrived he fired at officers and they fired back. a glass window at the school entrance shattered. but no one was hurt and the shooter surrendered without incident. he's in custody. for the parents who scrambled to a wal-mart parking lot nearby it was chaos. >> a

the superintendent of ronald mcnair discovery learning academy in decatur says all students are accounted for. he fired several rounds from an assault rifle and police returned fire. >>> still ahead, the fort hood shooter is about to deliver his own defense. >>> first, news or propaganda, the premier of al jazeera in america and who is behind it. >>> there is a new player in the cable news game, has a familiar name, one that carries considerable baggage. fox news media analyst howard kurtz has a debut of al jazeera america. good evening. >> good evening. they hired more than 800 people to make a run at the big boys. when many americans hear the name al jazeera, they think of the network that once aired osama bin laden videos. today, the organization financed by qatar's royal family is launching out with al jazeera america, and they opened the checkbook to hire established tv anchors like john significant enthat you willer, soledad o'brien, halle val chee. >> we know audiences wanted to hear more, know more. there are more stories out there, don't get to see them on the television network.

. >>> here in the atlanta area students are back in classes at the ronald mcnair discovery learning academysince a gun man entered the cool with an ak-47 and 500 rounds of ammunition on tuesday. we're hearing now for the first time the dramatic 911 call from the school book keeper who convinced the gunman to surrender. a lot of people calling her a hero. listen to how calmly she handles the situation. >> i can let them know you have not tried to harm or do anything with me but that doesn't make any difference. you didn't hit anybody. okay. let me ask you this, ma'am. he didn't hit anybody, he just shot outside the door. if i walk out with him, if i walk out with him, so they won't shoot him or anything like that? let me tell you something, baby, nothing so scary in my entire life. >> you did great. >> oh, jesus. >> incredible. she said it very well. tonight a special reunion, the 911 dispatcher meets antoinette tuff. >>> after more than a year the salvage operation is now about to make a major turn. up next. (car horn...ding, ding) how long have i had my car insurance? i don't know, eight,

gunman enters their school with hundreds of rounds of ammunition students were back in class at ronald mcnairing academy in georgia. school administrators were outside greeting students and their wary parents. that came only hours after newly released 911 calls showed what happened in the frightening minutes after police went in and captured a 20-year-old named michael hill. he entered that school with 500 rounds of ammunition. gabe gutierrez joins us. we'll play an extended version of this 911 call so people can hear. today there we see a lot of activity. what are you hearing from parents and maybe even some of the kids? >> reporter: well, tamron, yeah, there has been a lot of activity. the school went into session around 7:00 this morning. we talked to parents around 7:00 this morning. school is just dismissing. we're waiting to hear reaction. several parents wanted to thank this bookkeeper. they were amazed she was so calm, cool and collected and was able to talk down this gunman. one woman we talked to, susan hughes, she brought her 10-year-old son. he was in the fifth grade. she was relu

. >> students were back in class today at ronald mcnair learning academy. >> let's talk about the gun debate. >> the incredible 911 audio. >> it is going to be all right's sweetheart, i just want you to know i love you, though. >> is this going to restart the conversation. >> colorado state legislature passed the gun control legislation. >> the gun lobby mobilized to fight back, a corporate lobby trying to overwhelm the voice of the american public. >> the real battle lies ahead in washington. >> this delay is inexcusable. >> it is thursday, august 22. there are so many other issues looming large. >> president obama speaking at the university of buffalo. >>> bradley manning's stunning announcement. >> more revelations about the nsa. but first, developing stories. >>> the worst voter suppression laws in the country. >> the justice department is pursuing a new course. >> to the state's voter id law. >> there is a new electorate. they know the south has changed. >> there has to be a point where the two sides clash. >> that is why they're trying so hard to stop the vote. >> the real battl

students at ronald mcnair discovery learning academy went back to class today. this is the first time since tuesday's incident. tonight an anderson cooper 360 exclusive, the 911 dispatcher on the tape that you just heard is going to be reunited with the book keeper, the brave school book keeper that stopped the tragedy. this will be an amazing exchange. this is first meeting since the fateful day tonight at 8 eastern. you won't want to miss that. >>> bradley manning says he wants to live as a woman named chelsea. he wants to be provided with hormone injections in prison. going to take a look how this could affect his 35 year sentence for giving documents to wikileaks. only aveeno daily moisturizing lotion has an active naturals oat formula that creates a moisture reserve so skin can replenish itself. aveeno® naturally beautiful results. aveeno® could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. mmmhmmm...everybody knows that. well, did you know that old macdonald was a really bad speller? your word is...cow. cow. cow. c...o...w... ...e...i...e...i...o. [bu

. >>> students return to the ronald mcnair discovery learning academy two days after a gunman entered the school and exchanged gunfire with police. no one was injured in the incident and many are attributing that outcome to a brave school clerk ab antoinette tuff who tried to calm brandon hill who police say was carrying an ak-47 rifle and 500 rounds of ammunition. in a newly released 911 tape you can hear tuff convince hill to stand down. >> he's on the ground with his hand behind his back. tell the officers don't come in with any guns, shooting or anything. they can come on in and i'll buzz them in. sit right there. i'll buzz them in so you know when they're coming. okay? okay. just stay there calm. don't worry about it. they'll see you're trying not to harm me, okay? okay. >> okay. it's gonna be all right, sweetie. i just want you to know i love you, though, okay? i'm proud of you. that's a good thing you've given up. don't worry about it. we all go through something in life. [ male announcer ] running out of steam? ♪ now you can give yourself a kick in the rear! v8 v-fusion plus e

our david mattingly is outside ronald mcnair discovery learning academy outside of atlanta with the very latest tonight. david, let's start off, first of all, with this gunman, what did he find? what was he prepared to do? what do you know about him? >> reporter: well, when police first got to the scene shortly after 1:00 eastern time today, the gunman inside fired about a half dozen shots at them. they returned fire. that was all, the shooting that went on here. after that the gunman actually gave himself up without incident, but you can bet there was a great deal of concern about what was going on inside that school. as he gave himself up when he went in there. they found that he had an ak-47, other weapons on him, but they haven't elaborated on exactly what he was carrying. he is in custody. he's described as 19 years old. no motive has been described by authorities yet, but they say he is being interrogated and they hope to have some answers soon. but you can imagine as the police were there under fire themselves, the children were having to find ways to get out of that school. some

. >> students were back in class today at ronald mcnair learning academy. >> let's talk about the gunhe incredible 911 audio. >> it is going to be all right's sweetheart, i just want you to know i love you, though. >> is this going to restart the conversation. >> colorado state legislature passed the gun control legislation. >> the gun lobby mobilized to fight back, a corporate lobby trying to overwhelm the voice of the americub

police say the young man followed someone through the doors of atlanta's ronald e. mcnairacademy, where 800 children were attending pre-k through fifth grade. he headed straight for the front office, armed with an assault weapon and other guns and met bookkeeper antoinette tuff. >> he said he didn't have any reason to live. and he knew he was going to die today. >> reporter: minutes later, cafeteria manager malcolm quillen walked in. >> miss tuff said he was serious about following instructions. as soon as she said serious, he fired off. >> reporter: quillen said the gunman told him to leave and he did. >> i told the principal there was a gunman in the building. call 911. >> reporter: the disturbed young man asked tuff to call our local abc news affiliate, wabc. >> he wants you to start filming as officers die. >> reporter: with students hiding under their desks, police surrounded the school. and hill started firing. >> he fired anywhere from half a dozen shots. and when officers had a clear shot, they returned fire. >> sounds like there's a

identified as 25-year-old michael brandon hill firing at least half a dozen shots from inside the ronald e. mcnair elementary school as officers swarmed around that campus, they returned fire once the man was determined to be alone and hill eventually surrendered shortly after thanks in large part to a staff member who sat with him and talked him into surrendering. a number of weapons were found with hill. the exact number has not been released just yet. just a week into a new school year more than 800 students in pre-k through fifth grade were evacuated. buses arrived and delivered those students to a nearby shopping center where their parents were waiting to pick them up. that school superintendent michael therma is praising faculty and authorities who were able to get the students out to safety and following all the plans that were in place as they were put in by the school. teachers and students made it out unharmed. investigators are trying to figure out how michael brandon hill got through the school's tight security system and got inside the building. >>> 5:35 right now, christian missionar

investigators say hill slipped into the ronald i. mcnairiscovery academiby following someone authorized ton there he then held some employees hostage inside the office, even forcing one of them to call a local police station. students were evacuated from the building and bussed to a nearby walmart where neighbors picked them up. hill fired at least half a dozen shots at officers until he surrender. no one was hurt. >>> an accused serial kill now waiting to learn his fate after the being found guilty in marin county. a jury found joeself naso guilty of killing four northern california women in the '70s and '90s. investigators proved he raped and strangled his victims. an 18-year-old was found dead in fairfax in 1977. her brother says the verdict provides some relief. now he hopes naso is sent to prison and not death row. >> he is a healthy man now. he needs go to a mainline prison wreck be treated like he treated those girls and get what he deserves. >> prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. naso is still being investigated as a suspect

police say michael brandon hill entered ronald e. mcnair discovery learning academy armed with an ak-47 rifle and about 500 rounds of ammunition. he fired at least one shot inside the school and one outside -- and went outside to exchange gunfire with approaching police officers. that's when the bookkeeper there, antoinette tuff called 91 now listen closely. you can hear gunshots in the background. >> stay on the line with me now. where are you? >> i'm in the front office. oh, he just went outside and started shooting. >> can you get somewhere safe? >> yeah. i gotta go. he don't see me. >> put the phone down. >> when hill reentered the school, he didn't get any further than the front office and that's because tuff actually managed to talk him into surrendering. luckily no one was hurt in that shooting and hill is now in custody facing a handful of charges. >>> in other news, u.p.s. is cutting 15,000 workers' spouses from an insurance rolls, citing the president's new healthcare for the decision. in a memo to employees, u.p.s. says it will d

desperate teachers at the ronald e. mcnair discovery learning academy outside of atlanta rushing the young children away from danger, a police officer at the child's level telling her it will be all right. inside the grade school, a man with a gun losing his mind. >> there were shots that were fired. exactly how many and how that all transpired, i just don't have those details. >> reporter: police are identifying the gunman as 20-year-old michael brandon hill. they say he entered the front office armed with an ak-47 and other weapons. they called a local fill yent to send police a message. >> i thought perhaps it was a prank. >> reporter: the tv station says he wanted a news crew to come to the school to record people dying. when police arrived, he fired at officers and they fired back. a glass window at the school entrance shattered but no one was hurt and the shooter surrendered without incident. tonight he's in custody. for the parents who scrambled to a walmart parking lot nearby, it's chaos. >> it's a feeling you can't de

>> reporter: elementary school children sprinted to safety after a gunman opened fire at the ronald e. mcnair discovery learning academy in decatur, georgia. >> what did they tell you? >> there was a lockdown because someone was in the building. >> mm-hmm? right? >> and it was scary. >> reporter: 800 students were evacuated. no one was injured. police say 20-year-old michael brandon hill snuck into the school with an assault rifle and ordered a secretary to call an atlanta tv station. station employee lacy lecor answered the call. >> the front desk called ahead to say i'm transferring someone and she says she's in a school office with a gunman. i asked her what he wanted and she said he wanted us to start filming as police die. >> reporter: authorities say hill fired several shots at police outside. >> and when officers had a clear shot, they returned fire. fortunately, no one was injured. >> reporter: hill eventually surrendered and was taken into custody. the kids were bussed to a nearby shopping center and reunited with their parents. >> at the end of the day, that's all you want to do. al

reporter: tuesday afternoon in suburban atlanta, police say hill walked into the front office at ronald mcnair discovery learning academy with an ak-47 and at least one other weapon despite the school security system that required visitors to be buzzed in. >> we suspect he came in behind someone authorized to be there. >> reporter: the police chief says the suspect briefly held at least one employee captive and told her to call a local tv station. as officers approached, investigators say he quickly peeked through the front office door firing at least six shots. police returned fire. by the time three sheriff's deputies and a u.s. marshall entered the building through a side door, the suspect had dropped to the ground and surrendered inside the office. no one was injured but it was a frightening ordeal for some students. some evacuated through a hole officials cut through a fence. >> we had to hold hands and they escorted us outside. >> near the school in a walmart parking lot. >> this is devastating. >> reporter: panicked parents waited three hours for their kids. >> i'm so happy. >> reporter

now that school is the ronald e. mcnair discovery learning academy in decatur, georgia, not atlanta. the suspect is in custody. >> in georgia, that all-white jury to decide the case of a black teenager accused of shooting a 13-month-old baby in his stroller. the word from the judge after the defense claimed something was wrong with the jury pool. the court selected 48 potential jurors, and yesterday a defense attorney pointed out not a subject one of the people in the pool was -- not a single one of the people in the pool was black. >> howing can have 15 african-american jurors sitting downstairs and we have zero up here. we'll get a -- but the odds that is a statistical -- a truly statistically random event are remote. >> the defendant is black, as for the 13-month-old child, san antonio santiago, his mother is white, his father hispanic. the jury administrator denied she deliberately sought out potential jurors who are white. police say that teenager, and an accomplice who is even younger, tried to rob the mother in march

dramatic video shows the 800 students at ronald e mcnair discovery learning academy running for theirives. the suspect reportedly slipped through security and now we hear from the heroic school clerk who hunted the shooter down. >> he had a backpack full of ammunition here magazines in his backpack. some was in his

investigators say hill slipped into the ronald e. mcnairacademy by following someone authorized to be there. he then held some employees hostage inside the office, forcing one to call a local police station. students were evacuated from the building and bussed to a nearby walmart where parents picked them up. hill fired a half dozen shots at officers until he surrendered. no one was hurt. >>> update to breaking news in san jose almaden valley where a security guard shoots at a suspect outside a senior living center. >>> breaking news, syria, there are reports of widespread chemical warfare overnight. we investigate the new claims and the wildly escalating death toll reports, next. >>> wall street nervous about that. also nervous about what the fed will do. we're looking at a live picture of the big board. dow industrials falling under 15,000. >>> welcome sight in the sunol area. plenty of low clouds to start the day. temperatures are going to be warm. and not as humid. that all-important weekend forecast coming up in moments. >>> not welcom

this is the ronald e. mcnair discovery learning academy. it's a charter school.ated in decatur, georgia. there was one person that has already been taken into custody. what we're watching is a scene out of decatur, georgia. this is an elementary school. several reports of shots fired flds that school. this is a place where we heard they are telling us they have done drills. they have done drills to practice getting out of building and take cover. they are gathered outside. so far all we know is there's reports of shots that were fired inside of that elementary school. some have entered the building. you see behind the school, the school buses and some of the kids who have gathered outside. you can only imagine. you can only imagine how the marn parents are. these are live pictures of this incident that is still taking place. we'll take a quick break and try to get as much information as possible, come out of that break and give you more details. breaking news. ahhh let's leave the deals to hotels.com. perfect! yep, and no angry bears. up to 30% off. only at hotel

47 assault style rifle in what police are saying was almost 500 rounds of ammunition entered ronald e. mcnairiscovery learning academy, an elementary school just outside of atlanta. after more than 800 terrified children from prekindergarten through fifth grade were evacuated from the school, he exchanged fire with police after which a bookkeeper at the school convinced the suspect to surrender, thankfully avoiding any deaths or injuries. and so while the conversation about violence and crime in our country will certainly include race and poverty and gangs and even video games and movies, there's one aspect, one commonality that cannot be avoided. there are too many.guns. there's too much access to guns and there are too many ewing people killed by guns every day. i'm joined by the columnist for the chicago tribune clarence page and brine buttonler. charns, these are two very different stories on many levels. the location is different, the race of the suspects is different. the types of guns used. the common denamnater are young people are access to guns. where does a 20-year-old get an ak-47

in decatur, georgia, two days after a school shooting terrified the community and shut down ronald e. mcnairng that dramatic 911 call everyone is talking act. many are calling this woman, antoinette tuff, a hero. she's the school office worker who confronted the shooter. cnn's martin savidge live in decatur. good morning, martin. >> reporter: good morning, carol. yeah, antoinette tuff has been with the school district eight years, been at this school three years, but on tuesday it really came down to one hour that could have made all the difference for all of those inside. take a listen to this dramatic call. it's a remarkable call. alone in the a you was of an elementary school, bookkeeper antoinette tuff is face to face with a man armed with an assault rifle and close to 500 rounds of ammunition. >>. >> it suspect just her life on the line but the lives of hundreds of students and staff as well as dozens of police officers now outside. >> reporter: he's got an ak-47. she's only armed with her words and puts her own life on the line. >> reporter: so connect with the suspect, she pours out h

police say the young man followed someone through the doors of atlanta's ronald e. mcnair academy, where over 800 children were attending pre-k through fifth grade. he headed straight for the front office, armed with an assault weapon and other guns and met bookkeeper antoinette tuff. >> he said that he didn't have any reason to live. and that he knew he was going to die today. >> reporter: minutes later, cafeteria manager malcolm quillen walked in. >> miss tuff told me that the gentleman was serious about me following instructions. as soon as she said serious, he fired off. >> reporter: quillen said the gunman told him to leave and he did. >> i told the principal there was a gunman in the building. call 911. >> reporter: the disturbed young man asked tuff to call our local abc affiliate, wsb. >> she said that he wants you to start filming as officers die. >> reporter: with students hiding under their desks, police surrounded the school. and hill started firing. >> he possibly fired anywhere from half a dozen shots. and when officers had a clear shot, they returned fire. >

. >> reporter: ashley hall and countless other parents at the ronald e. mcnairrking at the front office tuesday afternoon, even though she wasn't scheduled to. >> i haven't seen her in the front office since they've been going to school, but it was just -- it was god that day, it was god that day. >> reporter: it was meant to be? >> yes, it was. >> what is your emergency? >> yes, ma'am. i'm on second avenue in the school and the gentleman said tell them to hold on, the police officers are coming and he's going to start shooting, so tell them to back off. >> reporter: that was tuff talking to a 911 dispatcher after coming face to face with michael brandon hill. police say hill slipped into the school with an ak-47-type weapon and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. >> stay on the line with me, ma'am. where are you? >> i'm in the front office. ooh, he just went outside and started shooting. >> okay. [ shots ] >> reporter: for more than 20 minutes, tuff was the link between authorities and hill. >> stop all movement on the grou ground. if it's not an emergency, pleas