SANTA FE, Texas - Among those who survived the Santa Fe School shooting is 15-year-old Noah Dupuy. His father is a SWAT officer with the Houston Police Department.
The freshman was just a few doors down from the shooter at 7:32 a.m. Friday.
“It was five or six prominent gunshots right from the hallway outside," Noah said.
Thanks to his dad, Noah had no doubt what was happening.
“He teaches me about guns. I know tons about gun safety, and I've heard enough gunshots in my lifetime that I knew they were gunshots as soon as I heard them," he said. “Our teacher took us into the scene shop area, and there was a big gate that she put down.”
At 7:36 a.m. Friday, Noah texted his dad, “I love you.”
“If something happened to me, I wanted those to be my last words," Noah said.
“Sorry, first thing I’m thinking he got in trouble…again," said Troy Dupuy, Noah's dad.
Dad replied, “Love you to buddy” and smiled for a moment -- until 7:38 a.m.
Noah texted, "Someone shot a gun outside school." In the chaos, the message was not quite right. Dad's cell phone was having trouble maintaining a call. Then Officer Dupuy’s lieutenant gets word there is an active shooter inside Santa Fe High School.
“We train so much to try to keep the calm. When you throw in your own family...I've never had to deal with my son being in an environment where I could have lost him," Dupuy said.
The HPD SWAT team was an hour away. Dad was texting, giving Noah advice: “Keep your head down buddy, stay low to ground man.”
About 30 minutes later, officers found Noah and his theatre class.
“We got led through a hallway, and every two feet down the hallway there was an officer with a rifle in hand. They weren't going to let anything happen to us," Noah said.
Had there been no teacher directing the class, Noah says, “My plan was to go to auditorium, stay between the seats, lay down.”
It’s all stuff, Dad -- a SWAT officer for 17 years -- had talked to Noah about.
“He was actually paying attention at least once," Dupuy said.
Santa Fe High School students are scheduled to return to school Tuesday.
“I want to go, because I don't want the shooter to think, ‘Oh I changed these kids’ lives,'" Noah said.
Dupuy recommends this video for civilians on survival strategies in active shooter situations.