“He responded exactly as we train our personnel to respond…”
A school resource officer engaged a student who had opened fire in a Maryland school on March 20.
Austin Wyatt Rollins, a 17-year-old high school student, shot two other students before being stopped by Deputy Blaine Gaskill. All were students at Great Mills High School in Great Mills, Maryland.
Rollins shot a male and female student with a handgun at approximately 7:55 a.m.
According to St. Mary’s County Sheriff Tim Cameron, Rollins had previously been involved with the female student. She sustained life-threatening injuries and remains in critical condition. The male student was taken to the hospital in stable condition. He was later discharged.
Shooter Used Legally-obtained Gun
Rollins used a legally-obtained Glock 9-millimeter pistol belonging to his father.
Maryland law holds parents responsible for the proper security of firearms in their home. The law holds parents responsible “whenever a child gains access to an improperly stored firearm,” though it does require that the child use the firearm.
In Maryland, for the purposes of the Child Access Prevention Law, a minor is defined as a person under the age of 16. Rollins was 17, making the law inapplicable to him and this situation.
President of the Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence, Jen Pauliukonis, told The Baltimore Sun that a gap exists in the coverage of the law. “I think it’s something that Maryland leaders need to evaluate,” she said. She cited a 2004 report published by the U.S. Secret Service and Department of Education showing that the majority of school shooters use a gun “from their own home or a relative’s home.”
Textbook Response
Gaskill fired one round at the shooter, who was later pronounced dead. According to preliminary reports, Rollins fired “almost simultaneously,” although officials are still investigating the exact timeline of events.
“He responded exactly as we train our personnel to respond,” Sheriff Cameron said of Gaskill’s actions. He is being praised for his quick and decisive response. This comes just days after a nation-wide student walkout in protest of gun violence in schools.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan echoed the words of the community officials. “While it’s still tragic, he may have saved other people’s lives,” he said of Deputy Gaskill.
The shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida in February 2018 reignited the nationwide debate on how to prevent school gun violence. In that shooting that resulted in the deaths of 17 individuals, the school resource officer remained outside of the building and did not engage the shooter. He was widely criticized by students, the community, and even President Trump. He was suspended without pay and later left the police force.
Many lawmakers are considering additional armed personnel as a possible solution to prevent further gun violence in schools. Carroll County Public Schools in Maryland have announced an increase in armed law enforcement officers in schools. “These uniformed Deputies will not only interact with the students and faculty, but also act as a visible deterrent to any criminal activity,” a press release stated on March 21. The county will work with the public schools and sheriff’s office to enact an increased security plan.
“That SRO at St. Mary’s County today is a hero. He did what was consistent with his training, he did what thousands would do.” — NASRO president Don Bridges to @baltimoresun https://t.co/gvkXgeQtZG #SROsMatter
— NASRO (@NASRO_Info) March 21, 2018
The National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) issued a statement in February supporting additional school resource officers in schools. “NASRO recommends that sufficient federal, state and/or local funding be made available to place at least one carefully selected, specially trained school resource officer in every school in the nation. NASRO further recommends that large schools be provided more than one SRO,” they said in the statement.
The actions of Deputy Gaskill, while tragically necessary, demonstrate the effectiveness that trained, armed personnel can have in an emergency situation. Maryland officials are taking action to increase the safety of students in the state’s schools.
