A hero named Chris Mintz emerged from Thursday’s tragedy at Umqua Community College, and now the Army veteran who was shot seven times while trying to save his classmates is getting the recognition he deserves across major social media platforms.
The 30-year-old student is a trending hashtag, #ChrisMintz, while remaining in serious condition on Friday after surgery for his injuries, which include bullet wounds in the back, the abdomen and hands, as well as two broken legs.
Mintz tried to “protect some people,” his aunt Sheila Brown told NBC News. “We were told he did heroic things to protect some people.”
He served 10 years in the army and had just started school at the Oregon community college where 10 people were killed and seven others were injured by 26-year-0ld gunman Chris Harper Mercer.
“We’re not sure how his legs got broken,” Brown continued. “He was on the wrestling team and and he’s done cage fighting, so it does not surprise me that he would act heroically.”
On Friday morning, a Facebook page that appeared to be Mintz’s posted a message from Chris written by a friend: “This is Chris’s friend, Chris asked me to thank everyone for their support, he is grateful and keeping our community and all victims in his thoughts.”
Twitter users have been using the social media platform to praise the army veteran.
Chris Mintz, who rushed the UCC shooter, after surgery to remove 7 bullets. Remember heroes, not terrorists. pic.twitter.com/itjlvF9Q1h
— CJAY 92 (@CJAY92) October 2, 2015
Forget Oregon’s #UCCShooting gunman. Remember Chris Mintz who charged at him on the 6th birthday of his son Tyrik. pic.twitter.com/GzHCWRMFzl — Lisa Vikingstad (@LisaVikingstad) October 2, 2015
The name of the Oregon shooter is not trending this morning. The name of Hero Chris Mintz is http://t.co/ydN1udPF4c pic.twitter.com/gAiKMQmQbH
— Samantha Barry (@samanthabarry) October 2, 2015
Edit: what I love is that this man did what he could to try and save others AND is expected to survive. Best to focus on the positive out of a negative situation... Posted by Natalie Jovonovich WHIO on Friday, October 2, 2015