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Three teachers were among at least 15 people killed by a 17-year-old gunman who blazed through two schools in Germany today, according to CNN reports. According to an eyewitness, one teacher who was shot had acted with particular heroism, sacrificing herself by stepping in front of a student to protect her. Teachers also apparently took on a role in the awful job of giving the devastating news to arriving parents whose children had been injured or killed.

Police have not yet identified a motive for the shootings. "No one seems to have an explanation for why this happened," according to a CNN reporter on the scene. "Police officers have heard that this young man didn't cause much of a buzz, wasn't someone who was negative or known for violence. They have no idea why he did all this."

Update, March 13: The London Telegraph reports that all of the teachers killed in essence sacrificed themselves in the line of duty: "The Police said the death toll would have been even worse had it not been for the extraordinary sacrifice of the three teachers, who stood in Kretschmer’s way to protect their students." Truly heroic.