PINE PLAINS – Zach Pruner, 12, was in the guidance office of Stissing Middle School in Pine Plains when the gunman came in, armed with a long rifle, and demanded to talk to the principal.

Zach was scared stiff and before the man could see him, the boy dove under a desk and that’s where he stayed for two hours. He then heard a helicopter and a SWAT vehicle.

“I was stuck under the desk. I got the attention of a SWAT helicopter and a Bearcat armored vehicle from the SWAT team came up and I got the attention of the captain,” he said. “I put up a sign that said, ‘one guy with a gun and four people inside, including me.’ The SWAT guys held up a sign that said, ‘jump out the window’.”

And Zach got out to safety.

The youth said he knew what to do because of his training with the Boy Scouts and because he has relatives in the Army.

Meanwhile, police have the man who terrorized the school in custody after he held them at bay for close to three hours Tuesday morning.