On September 29, 2006 a freshman at Weston High School, in Madison, Wisconsin in entered the main hallway of the school with a .22 caliber revolver and a 20-gauge shotgun taken from his father’s locked gun cabinet. After arriving at school around 8:00 am, he aimed the shotgun at a social studies teacher. The school custodian, Dave Thompson, wrestled the shotgun away from the student. Principal John Alfred Klang then entered the hallway and confronted the student, who was still armed with the handgun which he grabbed from inside his jacket and fired several shots. Klang then grabbed the student, wrestled him to the ground and swept away the gun. Klang was on top of the student with a pool of blood by Klang’s leg. Staff and students apprehended the student, holding him until the police arrived.

Klang was treated at Reedsburg Area Medical Center where he underwent surgery, and was then flown to the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison, where he died shortly after 3 pm. Klang was the only one shot in the shooting. For his actions in wrestling away the gun and subduing the shooter, Klang was posthumously awarded the Carnegie Medal by the Carnegie Hero Fund.

To help honor John Alfred Klang