Teacher Rich Long, was in the library when another teacher drew his attention to the commotion outside. Realizing the danger, Long yelled for kids to get out of the library and began pushing students out the door and towards the commons area. Upon seeing the stampede of kids fleeing the commons, Rich quickly re-routed them to the south hall and then the science hallway. Long directed teachers Teresa Miller and Beth Williams to get the students into classrooms. He then saw Coach Dave Sanders, bleeding heavily, fall in the south hallway and helped Sanders into a science classroom. Rich then went down the science hallway directing any students and teachers he came across to take cover. He instructed teacher Cheryl Mosier to get her students into the room and get down before he himself had to take refuge in another classroom. Long and teacher Dick Will locked the classroom door and secured it with a rope to prevent the gunmen from entering.
Eric Harris aimed his gun at Bree Pasquale and repeatedly asked her if she wanted to die. The terrified junior begged for her life and was spared, perhaps because Harris had just accidentally broken his nose while murdering Cassie Bernall. Despite her horrific ordeal, once the gunmen left the library, Bree reached out to an equally petrified Emily Wyant. Emily had been hiding under the table with Cassie. Pasquale invited Wyant to hide with her and comforted her until they were both able to escape the library. Bree took refuge behind a police car and helped tend Jenna Park’s wounded leg by tying a jacket around it. She also kept Park alert by getting her to talk about her experience at the prom a few days before.
After witnessing the murders of the two friends hiding beneath a table with him, Craig Scott helped a badly injured Kacie Ruegsegger escape the library. Once outside and behind the safety of a police car, he comforted and prayed with some of the wounded while they awaited transport to the hospital. Craig also led a small group of students in prayer for the injured and for all those not yet accounted for; he told police that praying was the only thing he knew to do. Scott's sister, Rachel, was the first victim to be killed during the attack.