He said Shaalan, 32, was studying with another colleague when student Cho Seung-Hui stalked through the building, shooting at professors and students in classrooms and hallways.

The Egyptian father, an active member of the Muslim Student Association, fell to the ground after he was shot by Cho while his colleague played dead to escape the massacre.

Cho killed 32 students and professors on Monday, April 16, leaving the sprawling rural campus reeling with grief and shock.

Cho returned twice to the room where Shaalan and his colleague where to search for signs of life and approached the dead-pretending student.

Though badly wounded himself, Shaalan made a deliberate move to distract Cho who turned his gun to him and fired, Dymond quoted the survivor student as saying.

Described by his colleague as a community-active and caring person, Shaalan was planning to bring his wife and 1-year-old son Khaled to the US to live with him.

Dymond said the practicing Muslim was a model student.

"The reason we are in higher education is because there are students who are the bright light to the future.

"Waleed was one of them."