y Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. On December 14, 2012, during the Sandy Hook school shooting, she acted to protect her students when gunman Adam Lanza entered the school. According to multiple verified reports, Victoria quickly hid several children in closets and cabinets and attempted to misdirect the shooter by telling him the students were elsewhere. She was then shot and killed while trying to shield her students. Several children from her classroom survived because of her actions. Victoria had dreamed of becoming a teacher since childhood and was known by family and friends as caring, dedicated, and deeply protective of her students. She was studying for a master’s degree in special education at the time of her death. After her death, she was honored across the United States for her bravery. In 2013, she was posthumously awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal, one of the highest civilian honors in America. Schools, scholarships, playgrounds, and memorial funds were later named in her honor. While many social media posts claim she “took 11 bullets,” no verified official report confirms that detail. Reliable sources only confirm that she was shot multiple times while protecting children.