JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel spent some time Sunday visiting Anthony Borges, a 15-year-old student who was shot five times while reportedly protecting classmates amid the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland.
Borges is credited with saving as many as 19 lives by using his body as a human shield while he barred the door to a classroom his classmates had huddled inside to take cover from the shooter, according to an ABC News report.
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"Sheriff Israel was honored to visit Anthony Borges, 15, in the hospital," the Sheriff's Office tweeted from its official account. "Anthony was shot five times. Fortunately, he is recovering, but has a long road ahead with more surgeries needed."
A friend, Carlos Rodriguez, told ABC News it was thanks to his friend's actions that he managed to escape the carnage with his life. "None of us knew what to do," he said. "So, he took the initiative just to save his other classmates."
For his courage, Borges was shot in both legs, shattering his left femur, and once in the back, according to a GoFundMe page established by his family. The page said he remains in stable condition.
The crowdfunding campaign, which aimed to raise $5,000, had already generated $112,000 as of Monday afternoon.