Taking Bullets for Girlfriends and Dates

In the 20 July 2012 shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, at least three men died while using their bodies as shields to protect women: Matt McQuinn, age 27; Jonathan Blunk, age 26; and Alex Teves, age 24. Mr. McQuinn was shot three times after diving in front of his girlfriend, Samantha Yowler, age 27, who was shot in the knee. Samantha’s brother, Nick, was also at the theater. He said, “Matt took three hits: one in the chest, one in the back, and one in the leg.” Jonathan Blunk pushed his date, Jansen Young, age 21, to the floor and under the seat, telling her, “Stay down!” She added that he told her, “We have to get down and stay down.” Moments later, he was killed. Ms. Young said, “He took a bullet for me.” It took a while for her to realize that he was dead: “I guess I didn’t really know he had passed until I started shaking him and saying, ‘Jon, Jon, we have to go …. I know I would not be here today if Jon had not been next to me in that movie theater.” Blunk’s estranged wife, Chantel Blunk, said, “He always talked about if he were going to die, he wanted to die a hero.” Mr. Teves used his body as a shield to cover his girlfriend, Amanda Lindgren. Mr. Teves’ grandmother Rae Iacovelli said, “He shielded her. He got down on the floor and covered her up.” Mr. Teves and Ms. Lindgren had been dating for a little over a year. Ms. Iacovelli said, “They were very serious. He was a good kid. He had so many friends. No matter where he went, he put people at ease. He was a fun kid. A happy boy.”