Hero of the Day: Chris Mintz is the One To Remember from the UCC Shooting

In the wake of national tragedies like yesterday's school shooting at Oregon's Umpqua Community College that left at least 10 dead and seven injured, it's easy to just remember the villain. But heroes were there as well.

One of which was army veteran 30-year-old Chris Mintz, who authorities are saying saved many lives that day. He was shot seven times as a result, but he survived and is currently in stable condition.

His family said that he blocked doors to keep the shooter from getting close to other students. Other outlets claim that he rushed at the shooter to protect the ones around him.


NBC News gives some background on Mintz:

Chris Mintz "tried to protect some people," his aunt Sheila Brown told NBC News in a telephone interview. "We were told he did heroic things to protect some people."

She said that Mintz was shot seven times and had been in surgery since the shooting that left 10 dead, including the gunman.

Originally from Randleman, North Carolina, Mintz served about 10 years in the Army. He had just started college, Brown said. He was shot in the back, abdomen and hands, and had two broken legs, she added.

"We're not sure how his legs got broken," she said. "He was on the wrestling team and and he's done cage-fighting so it does not surprise me that he would act heroically."

That's him smiling after having seven bullets removed. Goals.

On top of everything else, the shooting occurred on the sixth birthday of Mintz's son.



Luckily, the little boy still has a father to raise him. And a hero to boot.

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help Mintz and his family on this long and costly recovery.