The S.R.O. (school resource officer) was immediately alerted to the gunfire and “quickly” confronted the gunman. The officer fired “at least a round at the shooter, and I believe the shooter also fired a round,” County Sheriff Tim Cameron said, adding, “This is your worst nightmare.”
The gunman was fatally shot. The female victim was hospitalized and listed in critical condition. The male victim was critically injured but stable. The officer was not wounded.
All high schools in the Great Mills school county area are staffed with an armed deputy sheriff who works as a school resource officer.
Students at Great Mills High School participated in last week’s National School Walkout that called for gun control after the shooting of 17 at Florida’s Parkland shooting.
Response on social media shot out from both sides. Emma González, a Parkland senior and gun control activist, tweeted to Great Mills students on Tuesday morning.
We are Here for you, students of Great Mills 💗 together we can stop this from ever happening again https://t.co/bkzL1FcVgu
— Emma González (@Emma4Change) March 20, 2018
While Alana Mastrangelo, a gun rights activist and NRA member voiced support for school resource officers.
An “armed school resource officer” took down the Great Mills High School shooter, saving countless lives.
This is why it’s so important that our schools are not “gun free zones.”
— Alana Mastrangelo (@ARmastrangelo) March 20, 2018
So somebody did their job? https://t.co/yNDtHaRbMP
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) March 20, 2018
The Trump administration has proposed funding firearms training for school personnel.
