Billy Ray Cyrus honors slain Nevada teacher during concert

RENO, Nev., July 7 (UPI) -- Billy Ray Cyrus payed tribute to a Nevada teacher shot a by a student last year during his concert at Incline Village on Saturday.

The 52-year-old country music singer called the eighth-grade math teacher and ex-Marine Michael Landsberry a "true American hero" during his act and presented his widow Sharon with a plaque and a financial gift.

Landsberry was fatally shot at Sparks Middle School in October 2013 after he tried to reason with a 12-year-old boy who opened fire at the school. In addition to killing Landsberry with a shot in the chest, the student wounded two of his peers before taking his own life.

Cyrus called Landsberry's actions "the ultimate sacrifice."

"Surviving three tours in Afghanistan and then coming home and making the ultimate sacrifice teaching middle school, that's the very definition to 'Some Gave All,'" Cyrus said of the track he sang in Landsberry's honor during his performance.