The police officer credited with preventing what could have become a major tragedy when he chased down and shot a gunman at Dixon High School in Dixon, Ill., last week said instinct and training were what sustained him through the ordeal.
"When you're put in that stress, I guess the training makes such a difference that you revert back to it and it's just automatic, it's muscle memory," Dixon Police Officer Mark Dallas said in an interview on NBC News' "Today" show on Thursday morning. "It came back just like that."
On May 16, Dallas was on duty at Dixon High School when he heard gunfire. At the time, nearly 200 seniors were gathered in the gymnasium to rehearse for the upcoming graduation ceremony.
Dallas ran to investigate and encountered 19-year-old Matthew Milby, who police said was armed with a gun. Milby fired several shots in the school, police said. Physical education teacher Andrew McKay was able to close the doors to the gym and tell the students to flee, according to witnesses.
Dallas exchanged gunfire with Milby after chasing him out of the school, police said. Milby was wounded in the shoulder and was arrested in a nearby parking lot.
"It happened extremely fast," Dallas said in the "Today" interview, where he appeared with his son, Josh, who was a senior at the school. "All my thought is, 'Oh my God, he's gonna get someone over there. I need to continue, continue,'" Dallas said. "I was not going to let him get away."
Milby, who was also a student at the school, has been charged with felony aggravated discharge of a weapon and is currently being held in the Lee County Jail on in lieu of $2 million bail. He is slated to appear on court on June 7 for a preliminary hearing on the charges.
Josh Dallas, who was among the seniors gathered for the graduation rehearsal, said he had no doubt he would survive the ordeal.
"I never once feared for my life, because I knew he would protect us all," Josh Dallas told the "Today" show.
His father grew emotional at times during the interview, particularly when recounting the moment he was reunited with his family hours after the shooting.
"I didn't see him (Josh) or my daughter until I got home later in the afternoon, and we all embraced and I told them I loved them both and was glad that they were fine," Mark Dallas said, his voice breaking with emotion.
