Marinette hostage describes ordeal

MARINETTE - A student who was held hostage at Marinette High School throughout the entire crisis spoke to FOX 11. He described in detail what it was like inside the classroom that night.

While terrified family members and friends waited outside praying for the hostages’ safety, sophomore Nathan Miller was one of more than a dozen students inside praying the nightmare he was living would end.

“The side that I was on cried a lot. I even broke down and started crying,” said Miller.

Miller remembers starting sixth period that Monday with a movie and then the unexpected.

“He walked in with a gun and he pointed it toward the ground and he shot. And that's how it all started,” said Miller.

Miller says Sam Hengel fired three shots. And as their teacher Valerie Burd tried to calm him down, asking Hengel if he needed help, he says the 15-year-old got frustrated.

“Ms. Burd kept asking the questions she was and he finally said, ‘Ms. Burd, shut up!’” said Miller.

Miller says a phone call fueled Hengel's frustration.

“He didn't pick it up right away, and then he looked in his backpack, grabbed it out and snapped it in half,” said Miller.

But despite those outbursts, Miller says Hengel didn't seem angry.

“He didn't look mad at all, he looked kind of scared, like when he did it, he kind of wasn't expecting to,” said Miller.

Miller says the class never asked Hengel why he was holding them hostage. They were too frightened. But he says as the hours dragged on, the tension eased.

“It never really seemed like we were being held hostage. It just seemed like we were in there to talk and have fun, 'cause he was a nice guy,” said Miller. “He never told us to do anything.”

In fact, Miller says Hengel barely spoke a word the entire seven hours they were held hostage.

“Unless it was a direct question he didn't really talk a lot. I think we really talked and he just listened. I think that's what he was trying to get at was just, trying to act friendly in the time,” said Miller.

Movies, fishing, football, Miller says they talked about it all, even Hengel’s family.

“He was talking about how he had brothers and I didn't know it at the time and his family and stuff but he didn't really get in too depth with questions,” said Miller.

Then, several hours into the crisis, Hengel released some hostages. Miller says that gave him hope.

“That some of us are going to make it out alright, and that possibly all of us were going to make it out,” said Miller.

But he says fatigue and exhaustion began to take a toll on everyone.

“He knew we weren't all going to make it any longer, he wasn't going to make it any longer,” said Miller.

That’s when, he says, Hengel fired three shots into a computer, and police made their move inside the classroom.

“And then they were yelling at him to get on the ground, and they were yelling at us to get out and everything was kind of a blur at the moment,” said Miller.

And just like that, the hostages’ hours of confinement came to the end. Miller says he was in the room when Hengel shot himself, but isn't sure what he saw. He says it's probably best he doesn't remember that but he says he will never forget that night, that class and Sam Hengel.

“Every time I pass his locker it's like, he's really not here and it's really different situation,” said Miller.