HERO. More than That.. Sandy Hook.. Died while she Shield her Students.. JR ..

Meet the hero who died protecting 

her students from a killer

One of those killed in Friday's shooting spree at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., was first-grade teacher Victoria Soto, 27.

Soto's cousin, Jim Wiltsie told ABC News that police told him his cousin died trying to shield her students from the gunman, now identified as Adam Lanza, 20.

Soto was apparently pushing the children into a closet when she was confronted by Lanza.

"She put herself between the gunman and the children and that's when she was tragically shot and killed," said Wiltsie.

"I'm just proud that Vicki had the instincts to protect her kids from harm. It brings peace to know that Vicki was doing what she loved, protecting the children and in our eyes she's a hero," he added.

Soto had been teaching at Sandy Hook for five years and by all accounts was very popular with the students.

One of those students, Jacob Riley, told the London Daily Mail that Soto liked to chew gum in class, and he often teased her about the long-forbidden practice.

Tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School: Victoria Soto, fallen hero Video. Click....

Another, unidentified 10-year-old boy, one of Soto's saddened former students, said simply that she was "really nice and funny."

School principal Dawn Hochsprung, 47, and school psychologist Mary Sherlach, 56, were both shot execution-style in the hallway as they confronted Lanza, in an attempt to keep him away from the children.

In all, 20 children between the ages of 5 and 10 were shot to death in the rampage.