Ryan Keith Cox, hero of the shooting in Virginia Beach, died trying to save others

When Ryan Keith Cox and his colleagues heard the shots, he rushed to put them safe, but sacrificed himself in an attempt to save others.

Cox was one of 12 victims of the Friday shootout in a Virginia Beach municipal building, and one of his colleagues said the long-time utility worker had died as a hero.

Christi Dewar, also a longtime public service employee, told NPR and Virginian-Pilot that she thought the shots were a firearm at first. Then a colleague rushed down the hall to tell them that it was real.

"We ran to the back door of our office, which is near the south staircase, and one of the girls shouted:" It's too late, it's too much later! Run in the other direction, "said Dewar to the Virginian pilot.

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Cox led Dewar and other colleagues to a break room and told them to stand against a wall, she told the newspaper.

"As far as possible, I knew that he was going to lead us to safety, we felt safe, he stayed calm, he had no worried thoughts in his voice," he said. she said.

Cox stood guard and ordered the group to lock themselves in an office when everything seemed clear. But he did not stay with them.

"I said:" Keith, come on, " Dewar told the Virginian-Pilot. "He said" I have to see if anyone else needs help. "He said," Barricade the door. Do it now. "

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Dewar told NPR that the group then barricaded the door with filing cabinets and remained silent. They did not hear Cox outside the room.

Then they heard gunshots.

"Two bullets have almost gone through the back of the cabinet," Dewar told NPR. "We fell to the ground and then we heard other gunshots near us … It was at that time that he had Keith."

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Dewar called 911 when the shots were gone. The police eventually went to the office where the group was hiding. One of the women opened the door and saw Cox lying on the floor, Dewar told Virginian-Pilot.

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When the group was escorted to the outside of the building, Dewar said that he had been told not to lower his eyes.

"All I could see was broken wood, closed doors that had just broken, it looked like a terrifying war zone," she told the paper. She had to step over the body of another dead colleague to go out.

The day after the shooting, Dewar said she had gone to Cox's parents to tell them about their son's exploits. The two had been friends for a long time, Cox often driving Dewar home or taking her in her arms when she was down.

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"I called it my big teddy bear," Dewar told NPR. "Whenever I was upset, he hugged me in. When I was upset about something, he knew exactly what to say to make you smile. That's the kind of person who, you know, would give his life for someone, just like He did. "

Follow Ryan Miller, USA TODAY, on Twitter @RyanW_Miller

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