The shooting erupted during scheduled high school hockey games before 3 p.m. Monday. What began as a domestic dispute quickly escalated into violence.
“I heard two shots, and I said, ‘balloons popping,'” Black recalled in an interview with WCVB-TV Boston. “I heard another popping and recognized it was not a balloon.”
In that moment, Black made a split-second decision that would save lives.Black immediately told his wife and friends to run. Then he stood up and located the gunman.
Black’s left hand became trapped in the chamber of the weapon. Despite the danger, he held on. Others rushed to help him subdue the shooter.
“A good Samaritan stepped in and interjected in the scene, and that’s probably what led to a swift end of this tragic event,” Goncalves said.
A memorial has sprung up outside Dennis M. Lynch Arena, honoring the victims. Professional sports teams including the Boston Bruins and New England Patriots have sent their condolences to the affected families.
Those seven words capture a moment of extraordinary courage a father, a friend, an ordinary citizen who refused to be a bystander when lives hung in the balance.
The investigation continues. The community mourns. But because of Michael Black, the death toll stopped where it did. That’s heroism, whether he accepts the label or not.