One day after a shooting took place in a hallway at Great Mills High School, two students remain in the hospital.
Sheriff Cameron told reporters at an afternoon press briefing that Deputy Gaskill, a six-year veteran of the force who is in his first year at Great Mills High School, was able to contain the situation within 1 minute of the time the initial shot was sacked.
Officers were quick to clear the classrooms as students hid under their desks.
A student witness of the school shooting in southern Maryland says a police officer tried to order a student with a gun to his head to disarm before two shots were fired.
Blaine Gaskill, the school resource officer and a former SWAT team member, responded within a minute, firing one round.
Authorities said the situation was "contained" as deputies and federal agents converged on the crime scene. "He pursued the shooter, engaged the shooter, fired a round at the shooter", St. Mary's County Sheriff Tim Cameron said.
"He had to cover significant ground".
The Enterprise, a local newspaper, reports Cameron said at the time that Gaskill had "used exemplary judgment". "The premise is simple: You go to the sound of gunfire". Authorities say the shooter had a relationship with the female victim but they don't yet know the motive.
Parents were asked to meet their children at a reunification site on the Leonardtown High School campus, where counselors and other support staff were on hand. A YouCaring fundraising page has been set up on behalf of Jaelynn Willey in order to aid the family in covering her medical bills.
Holding candles and singing hymns, religious leaders from different denominations prayed together.
On a "prayer wall" at The Church of the Ascension in Lexington Park, people came by and wrote in chalk anonymous prayers for the families and students affected by the shooting. Another said, "Please choose love". "I think our political system will respond".
"We sympathize. We empathize". Thoughts and prayers and moments of silence are not enough.
British diplomats declared personas non grata in Russian Federation
British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday stated that it was "highly likely" Russian Federation was to blame for the attack. The Russian statement said the government could take further measures if Britain makes any more "unfriendly" moves.
Cameron said at the news conference Tuesday, "This is what we prepare for".
In this case, it appeared Rollins possessed the gun illegally. As The Associated Press reported, "In Maryland, a person must be 21 to possess a handgun, unless carrying one is required for employment".
Attempts to reach the shooter's family were unsuccessful.
It will take time for the school community to process and heal from the incident, he said.
Police said Tuesday that Willey's injuries are critical. She would later have news of a shooting confirmed by the news. "It's unfortunate that in this day and age, our children can not even feel safe at school".
Maryland's Senate joined the House on Monday night in voting to ban bump stocks, which enable a semi-automatic rifle to mimic a fully automatic weapon.
Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, announced the legislation February 28 after the school shooting in Florida.
In a recent op-ed for the Waco Tribune-Herald, Williams suggested that necessary improvements could include metal detectors, steel doors and bulletproof glass, as well as emergency training and additional law enforcement.
"Today's terrible events should not be an excuse to pause our conversation about school safety", he said in a statement.
"This is a tough guy who apparently closed in very quickly and took the right kind of action", he said.
"In that split second, a decision has to be made", Cameron said of the standoff.
Numerous students are expected to join students from around the country at a major protest in Washington on Saturday. I was scared because I had been trying to call the school, I didn't get no answer, so, I didn't know if my son was one of the kids that got wounded.
