TALES OF VALOR HALF-HISTORY: Jake Ryker | Boy Scout Jake Ryker is the hero who responded proactively to stop the Thurston High School Shooting. On May 21, 1998, 17 year old Jake was a student at Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon. On that fateful day, Jake was sitting in the cafeteria when another student walked into the building and started shooting. Jake’s instinctive response was to be proactive rather than passive. Despite being shot and wounded by the attacker, Jake led the effort to subdue the gunman and held him until law enforcement arrived. Jake was able to initiate taking back control while under attack.