December 20, 2022

To: Adam Mitchell, Town Manager

From: Brandon Medina, Chief of Police
Subj: RECOGNITION OF FUQUAY-VARINA MIDDLE SCHOOL HEROES FROM DECEMBER 8TH INCIDENT

The following student and four Fuquay-Varina Middle School staff members are being recognized for
their heroic actions on Thursday, December 8, 2022. These brave and heroic actions of the following
individuals resulted in the saving of lives and a peaceful resolution to the incident.

EIGHTH GRADE STUDENT COLTON KAPLAR

Fuquay-Varina Middle School eighth grade student, Colton Kaplar, showed bravery and leadership on
Thursday, December 8, 2022. Colton Kaplar was in the hallway when the Code Red announcement
was made. Colton Kaplar immediately noticed 6th graders standing in the hallway and realized they
were not headed in any direction.
Colton Kaplar gathered the 6th graders and urgently escorted them into an adjacent
classroom. Colton Kaplar then let each student use his phone so they could call their parents to let
them know they were safe.

FUQUAY-VARINA MIDDLE SCHOOL SIXTH GRADE TEACHER SAMANTHA COLECCHIA

Fuquay-Varina Middle School Teacher Samantha Colecchia is a new teacher to Fuquay-Varina Middle
School, but demonstrated bravery, compassion, and quick thinking during the incident occurring on
Thursday, December 8, 2022.

On the day of the incident, Ms. Colecchia witnessed the gun and students running. Since her
classroom was directly next door to where she saw the gun, she ushered (ran) 17 students out of the
building and across the street. At least 7 of those 17 students were in the room when the student
pulled out the firearm and fired one shot. She did an excellent job keeping calm and keeping the
students calm for hours. When the students re-entered the building for interviews and statements,
she sat with them while they wrote statements, called parents, and worked to reunite those students
who were directly impacted by the incident with their parents.

Fuquay-Varina Police Department

Town of Fuquay-Varina 401 Old Honeycutt Road, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526 (919) 552-3191 fvpolice.org
FUQUAY-VARINA MIDDLE SCHOOL SIXTH GRADE TEACHER JEFF JUNIO
Fuquay-Varina Middle School teacher Jeff Junio demonstrated bravery on Thursday, December 8,
2022. Upon hearing Code Red announcement, Jeff Junio, began clearing the hallway in the sixth-grade
hall. He was grabbing children and physically tossing them into classrooms. He remained in the
hallway until it was clear. While this only lasted approximately sixty seconds, he was directly in the
line of fire for anything that was going on in the hallway where the firearm was discharged. He
remained in the area getting children out of harm's way and remained, himself, in harm’s way -
protecting and safeguarding the children - until his hallway was cleared.

FUQUAY-VARINA MIDDLE SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL PAGE ELLIOT

Fuquay-Varina Middle School Assistant Principal Page Elliot was instrumental upon hearing the Code
Red Lockdown called out but noted it was not immediately received by the front office. Ms. Elliot
immediately reinforced the lockdown over the radio and confirmed that it had been activated.
Assistant Principal Page Elliot then contacted 9-1-1 requesting police to respond and then notified
Wake County Public School Security for them to respond as well.
Once this was done, Ms. Elliot immediately moved to the area where the firearm was discharged,
placed herself in harm's way, and assisted Mrs. Guilliams in the process of detaining and securing the
student as well as the firearm. Ms. Elliot took temporary custody of the firearm, made the firearm
safe, and located the Wake County School Resource Officer.
Assistant Principal Page Elliot then released the firearm to the SRO and assumed the role of liaison
between the school administration and law enforcement as the remainder of the event unfolded.
These actions by Assistant Principal Page Elliot freed up Principal Clark to handle the rest of the school
and facilitate the reunification of students with their families.
Assistant Principal Elliot then acted as the facilitator in the debriefing that occurred after the event
was over. This event ran very smoothly due to Ms. Elliot's involvement and willingness to intercede
early and assist in any way needed. She placed herself in harm's way early in the incident when no
law enforcement was present to get the situation under control as soon and as safely as possible
considering the circumstances.

Fuquay-Varina Police Department

Town of Fuquay-Varina 401 Old Honeycutt Road, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526 (919) 552-3191 fvpolice.org
FUQUAY-VARINA MIDDLE SCHOOL SIXTH GRADE TEACHER LYNN GUILLIAMS
Fuquay-Varina Middle School sixth grade teacher Lynn Guilliams demonstrated courageousness and
leadership on Thursday, December 8, 2022. Teacher Lynn Guilliams was outside of her classroom
when the firearm shot was discharged.
Teacher Lynn Guilliams immediately heard the Code Red Lockdown announced on the intercom and
she then ushered the students into her classroom. As she locked her classroom door, she was able to
and find one of her students standing in front of her holding the pistol. She was now locked inside her
classroom with the shooter. She could have unlocked her room and run out. She could have frozen
and done nothing. Instead, she immediately told him, "Give me your gun right now! Right now!"
When she said this, she was approaching toward the student with her hand out. She finally got to him
and took the gun from him. She then called Ms. Elliot and told her that she had the gun and the
student. Shortly after this, Ms. Elliot arrived on the scene and took possession of the pistol. Ms.
Guilliams immediately began removing her students from the classroom. However, she then
reentered the room and began talking and consoling the student that discharged the firearm.
She was able to calm him down so much that he walked, under his own power, without any force ever
having to be used to the office where he was later interviewed by law enforcement.
This was a true act of heroism deserving the recognition we are providing this evening. Mrs. Guilliams
not only stood up for her own kids and she risked her own safety, but she also saw one of her kids
hurting, and returned to console a child that had made an unfavorable decision. Ms. Guilliams never
had a second thought about approaching an armed student and disarming him because it was one of
her kids and she wanted what was best for him.

Fuquay-Varina Police Department

Town of Fuquay-Varina 401 Old Honeycutt Road, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526 (919) 552-3191 fvpolice.org