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(AP) - A slain principal was memorialized Wednesday
for the sacrifice he made to keeps his students safe.

      Hundreds of people packed into the Weston Schools gym at
Cazenovia to say goodbye to John Klang. He was shot as he wrestled
a gun from a student in the school hallway last Friday.

      Students wearing Weston letter jackets and football jerseys mixed with adult mourners at the service. Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle was also in attendance. 

      The Rev. Lorin Bowens compared Klang to a shepherd who lays
down his life for his sheep. Bowens gave thanks for Klang's
sacrifice.

      School board president David Wermund told the crowd that it was
Klang's courage and selflessness that saved those at the school
that day.

      Wermund choked back tears as he told mourners the "hoopla" of
the funeral would have made Klang uncomfortable. Wermund says Klang
liked the simple things -- hunting, fishing and walking in the
woods.

      Klang's casket was covered in hunters' camouflage.

 A freshman student, Eric Hainstock, is charged with shooting
Klang just inside the high school entrance Friday. 

A criminal
complaint says Hainstock was upset with Klang because the principal
had disciplined him for having tobacco in the school the day before, 
and teachers hadn't stopped a group of kids who had called him
names.

Court documents paint a grim picture of
Eric Hainstock's home life. When Hainstock's parents, Lisa and Shawn, divorced in 1995, a
judge granted primary custody to Hainstock's father, saying he
provided a more stable environment. But, Shawn Hainstock was
charged with physically abusing his son in 2001.

A criminal complaint says Eric told investigators his father
kicked him because he hadn't given the pets some water. He says his
father also hit him with a belt and a paddle he called the "board
of education," put hot sauce or hot peppers in his mouth as
punishment for lying and swearing and threatened him with juvenile
court and foster care.

A neighbor also says the boy spent as much time as possible with his
grandparents to get away from his father.

Gallery

Principal shot at Wisconsin school dies

Hundreds of people packed into a high school gym in Cazenovia, Wisconsin Wednesday to say goodbye to John Klang. He was shot as he wrestled
a gun from a student in the school hallway last Friday.


Slain principal memorialized for sacrifice

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