Victoria Leigh Soto, born on November 4, 1985, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, was a dedicated first-grade teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. On December 14, 2012, during a tragic mass shooting at the school, Soto displayed extraordinary bravery by hiding her students in a closet and shielding them from the gunman, Adam Lanza. When Lanza entered her classroom, she informed him that her students were in the gym, attempting to divert him away from their hiding place. Tragically, Lanza shot and killed Soto, but her selfless actions saved many of her students' lives.

In recognition of her heroism, Soto was posthumously awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2013. Her legacy continues through various honors, including the naming of the Victoria Soto School in her hometown of Stratford, Connecticut, which opened in 2015. Additionally, the city of Bayamón, Puerto Rico, her father's birthplace, has plans to name a public facility after her.

Soto's courageous actions have left an enduring impact, exemplifying profound dedication and sacrifice in protecting her students during one of the nation's most devastating school tragedies.

During the Sandy Hook shooting, teacher Victoria Soto died saving her students from the gunman. She hid her first graders in cabinets and closets after hearing gunfire. When the shooter came to her classroom, she told him her students were in the gym. He then gunned her down and moved on.