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Maryland School Gunman Dies After Confrontation With Officer Maryland School Gunman Dies After Confrontation With Officer
(about 1 hour later)
GREAT MILLS, Md. — A male student opened fire with a handgun in the hallway of a southern Maryland high school on Tuesday, the local sheriff said, injuring two students before he was confronted by a deputy stationed at the school less than a minute later. GREAT MILLS, Md. — A male student opened fire with a handgun in the hallway of a southern Maryland high school on Tuesday, the local sheriff said, spurring a deputy stationed at the school to confront him less than a minute later. The episode left two students injured — one critically — and the gunman fatally wounded.
The shooting suspect, Austin Wyatt Rollins, 17, was confirmed dead at 10:41 a.m., said Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron of St. Mary’s County, adding that it was not immediately clear whether or not the officer’s round of gunfire struck the suspect. The shooting suspect, Austin Wyatt Rollins, 17, was confirmed dead at 10:41 a.m., said Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron of St. Mary’s County, adding that it was not immediately clear whether or not a round fired by the officer struck the suspect.
The sheriff’s office said it received a call of shots fired just before 8 a.m. at Great Mills High School in Great Mills, Md., about 60 miles southeast of Washington. The sheriff’s office said it received a call of shots fired just before 8 a.m. at Great Mills High School in Great Mills, Md., about 60 miles southeast of Washington. Moments earlier, Mr. Rollins had shot a 16-year-old female with whom he had a “prior relationship,” the sheriff said.
Sheriff Cameron said the school resource officer was alerted to the gunfire: “He pursued the shooter, engaged the shooter, during which that engagement, he fired a round at the shooter simultaneously the shooter fired a round as well.” Sheriff Cameron said the school resource officer was alerted to the gunfire and “pursued the shooter, engaged the shooter.” The officer, he said, then “fired a round at the shooter, simultaneously the shooter fired a round as well.”
Sheriff Cameron said the officer, Deputy First Class Blaine Gaskill, was not injured in the shooting. He said a 14-year-old male student was transported to a hospital in stable condition, and a 16-year-old female student was transported to a shock trauma facility, where she was in critical condition. Sheriff Cameron said the officer, Deputy First Class Blaine Gaskill, was not injured in the shooting. He said a 14-year-old male student, who was also shot, was transported to a hospital in stable condition, and the female student was transported to a shock trauma facility, where she was in intensive care “with life-threatening critical injuries.”
Neither of the victims were identified, but Sheriff Cameron said there was an indication that Mr. Rollins and the female victim had a “prior relationship,” although he did not elaborate on its nature. At the beginning of an early afternoon news conference, Sheriff Cameron said Mr. Rollins had shot both the male and female victims, but in response to questions from reporters he said he could not say with certainty whose gun had wounded the male victim.
Neither of the victims were identified.
“On this day, we realize our worst nightmare,” the sheriff said, “that our greatest asset, our children, were attacked in one of our places, a bastion of safety and security, one of our schools.”“On this day, we realize our worst nightmare,” the sheriff said, “that our greatest asset, our children, were attacked in one of our places, a bastion of safety and security, one of our schools.”
“The notion of it can’t happen here is no longer a notion,” he added.“The notion of it can’t happen here is no longer a notion,” he added.
The shooting comes just over a month after 14 students and three adults were killed at a high school in Parkland, Fla., which has added new urgency to the nation’s debate over gun control and raised questions about the role of armed personnel in schools. Surveillance video taken during the shooting in Parkland showed Scot Peterson, the sheriff’s deputy posted at the school, did not go inside a building to engage the gunman, in an apparent violation of protocol.The shooting comes just over a month after 14 students and three adults were killed at a high school in Parkland, Fla., which has added new urgency to the nation’s debate over gun control and raised questions about the role of armed personnel in schools. Surveillance video taken during the shooting in Parkland showed Scot Peterson, the sheriff’s deputy posted at the school, did not go inside a building to engage the gunman, in an apparent violation of protocol.
Speaking at a late morning news conference, Sheriff Cameron said the school resource officer and witnesses to the shooting were being interviewed by detectives. Other students at the school had been taken to Leonardtown High School, about 15 minutes away, to be reunited with their families.Speaking at a late morning news conference, Sheriff Cameron said the school resource officer and witnesses to the shooting were being interviewed by detectives. Other students at the school had been taken to Leonardtown High School, about 15 minutes away, to be reunited with their families.
The parking lot at Great Mills High was filled with more than a dozen police and state trooper cars, the red and blue flashing lights punctuating the gray skies. Officers, some in neon yellow rain jackets, directed traffic in the pouring rain, having blocked off the area in front of the school with cars and caution tape.The parking lot at Great Mills High was filled with more than a dozen police and state trooper cars, the red and blue flashing lights punctuating the gray skies. Officers, some in neon yellow rain jackets, directed traffic in the pouring rain, having blocked off the area in front of the school with cars and caution tape.
“What we know thus far is that Great Mills High School began its school day this morning at 7:45 a.m. like many other days,” Sheriff Cameron said, “except for on this day a male student produced a handgun and fired a round wounding a female student and another male student in a hallway of Great Mills High School just before classes begun.”“What we know thus far is that Great Mills High School began its school day this morning at 7:45 a.m. like many other days,” Sheriff Cameron said, “except for on this day a male student produced a handgun and fired a round wounding a female student and another male student in a hallway of Great Mills High School just before classes begun.”
In a statement, the school described the shooting as “tragic” and urged parents and students to stay away as the school was locked down. James Scott Smith, the superintendent of St. Mary’s County Schools, said that Great Mills and other schools in the district did not have metal detectors, although officials had discussed the possibility of getting them after the shooting in Parkland.
The F.B.I. and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives sent agents to the school. “There is an associated cost related to that, as well as staff,” Mr. Smith said.
He added, “This is just the beginning of a very long and tragic process that we will go through in St. Mary’s County.”
The F.B.I. and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives sent agents to the school and were conducting a trace on Mr. Rollins’s weapon.
Gov. Larry Hogan said his office was closely monitoring the situation, and that he was praying for the victims and the Great Mills community.Gov. Larry Hogan said his office was closely monitoring the situation, and that he was praying for the victims and the Great Mills community.
“But prayers are not enough,” Mr. Hogan said, in an emailed statement. “Although our pain remains fresh and the facts remain uncertain, today’s horrible events should not be an excuse to pause our conversation about school safety. Instead, it must serve as a call to action.”“But prayers are not enough,” Mr. Hogan said, in an emailed statement. “Although our pain remains fresh and the facts remain uncertain, today’s horrible events should not be an excuse to pause our conversation about school safety. Instead, it must serve as a call to action.”