Kendrick Castillo, the 18-year-old who was killed in the STEM school shooting in Colorado on Tuesday, sacrificed himself in order to save others, his father said Wednesday. The teen’s dad, John Castillo, said he was told by other students in the classroom that his son lunged at one of the shooters, saving their lives. The Colorado shooting was allegedly carried out by two fellow students. “He was the best kid in the world,” Castillo said through tears on Wednesday. “One of the kids told me: ‘Like a flash he jumped up.’ She said, ‘You know he’s a hero, he saved me, he jumped up and he ran,’” Castillo told CNN. When asked if they were surprised by that, both of Castillo’s parents immediately responded “no.” “Because we raised him that way, we raised him to be good,” Castillo said. “I know that because of what he did others are alive and thank God for that, I love him... but there’s another part of you that wishes he would have just turned and ran.”

Students in the classroom told the Castillos that Kendrick and another boy charged one of the shooters. “We know Kendrick, we’re able to tell you that it’s no surprise that if danger was facing him he would approach it and take it on,” Castillo said. “I’d like the world to know that this wasn’t your average kid... he was extraordinary.”