Last week, a student gunman struck at Great Mills High School in St. Mary’s County Maryland, injuring several, including one 16-year-old girl who later died of her wounds. At time of the incident, police reported that a school resource officer shot and killed the gunman, preventing further injuries. However, outlets are now reporting that the gunman actually died of a self-inflicted gunshot.
While the school resource officer, Deputy Blaine Gaskill, did respond to the scene quickly, and did shoot at the gunman, investigators have determined that the shooter shot himself in the head moments before the school resource officer shot at him, hitting the gunman’s weapon. Per CNN:
Police say Rollins shot two people with one bullet in a school hallway just before classes began. He shot Jaelynn Willey, 16, in the head — and the bullet also struck a 14-year-old boy in the leg, police said.
Gaskill responded to the scene in less than a minute, and confronted Haskill in a hallway three minutes after the shooting, the sheriff ‘s office said.
About 30 seconds later, Rollins and the officer fired simultaneously, the sheriff’s office said.
Willey, who has recently broken up with the gunman, died two days after the shooting after she was removed from life support. Authorities have revealed that the handgun used in the shooting was owned by the gunman’s father.
(Via CNN & Baltimore Sun)