Woman who tried to attack Florida school gunman with her purse is stopped from selling it on eBay

By Paul Thompson for MailOnline
Updated: 17:21 EST, 19 December 2010

A school official who tried to disarm a gunman with her handbag has been stopped from selling it on eBay.

Ginger Littleton had put the handbag up for sale on the online auction site with all the profits going to charity.

But after bids of more than $1,000 were received the bag was withdrawn from sale when eBay said it did not meet with its charity guidelines.

Brave: Ginger Littleton stands with the fake crocodile skin handbag she used to try and stop gunman Clay Duke shooting school board colleagues

Brave: Ginger Littleton stands with the fake crocodile skin handbag she used to try and stop gunman Clay Duke shooting school board colleagues

Thwarted: After being ordered from the room by the gunman, Ms Littleton reentered and attempted to knock the gun from his hand using the bag

Thwarted: After being ordered from the room by the gunman, Ms Littleton reentered and attempted to knock the gun from his hand using the bag

Ms Littleton had been attending a school board meeting in Panama City, Florida, when Clay Duke suddenly pulled out a gun.

As the only female member of the school board, she was ordered to leave.

But the 59-year-old sneaked back into the room and tried to bash the gun from Duke's hand with her fake crocodile leather bag.

She failed in her attempt, but her life was spared when 57-year-old Duke told her to leave again.

Risk: Ms Littleton twists the handles of her purse as she makes ready to swing it

Risk: Ms Littleton twists the handles of her purse as she makes ready to swing it in video footage from gunman Clay Duke's shocking attack on the school

Ms Littleton swings the bag in an attempt to knock the gun from Duke's right hand

Ms Littleton swings the bag in an attempt to knock the gun from Duke's right hand

Horror: But she fails and Duke scuffles with her, his loaded gun just inches from her face. In the video Ms Littleton can be heard crying out

Horror: But she fails and Duke scuffles with her, his loaded gun just inches from her face. In the video Ms Littleton can be heard crying out

Mercy: She falls to the ground - but Duke, looking down at her, does not fire at her and she escapes with her life

Mercy: She falls to the ground - but Duke, looking down at her, does not fire at her and she escapes with her life

Duke later fired at the board members, but managed to miss from near point-blank range.

He was then shot and wounded by school security chief Mike Jones and later took his own life as he lay on the floor with gunshot wounds.

The entire terrifying encounter was captured on video and has been watched by millions of people worldwide.

Taken down: Ms Littleton had wanted to sell the handbag to raise funds for a charity run by the head of security at the school, who shot and wounded Duke after he had opened fire

Taken down: Ms Littleton had wanted to sell the handbag to raise funds for a charity run by the head of security at the school, who shot and wounded Duke after he had opened fire

Shooting: Duke then killed himself while lying injured on the floor of the meeting room

Shooting: Duke then killed himself while lying injured on the floor of the meeting room

Clay Duke in an image taken from his Facebook page

Clay Duke in an image taken from his Facebook page

Ms Littleton said she decided to put the handbag up for sale after being contacted by her local TV station.

Cash raised from the sale would have gone towards a programme called 'Salvage Santa', run by security officer Mr Jones.

It would have been used to fix broken toys and buy presents for under-privileged children.

The auction site is believed to have ordered the item to be removed as Salvage Santa was not a registered charity.

Ms Littleton is hoping the handbag, which she inherited from her 89-year-old mother-in-law, will still be sold.

'I wasn't terribly attached to the purse,' she said.

'So anything I could do to extend the purse to the lives of other people was a good idea.

'I thought, wow, what closure for everyone. This was a way to tie everything up.'

A spokesman for eBay was unavailable for comment.

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