On March 21, 17-year-old Austin Wyatt Robbins, from Maryland, brought a gun to school to shoot his ex-girlfriend. The female victim, 16-year-old Jaelynn Willey, remains in critical condition at  local hospital. During the shooting, a 14-year-old boy who was in the hallway at the time was shot in the leg; the boy has since been released from the hospital after being treated.

It was later reported by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s office that the gun utilized by Robbins was legally owned by his father. Robbins was killed during the attack by the school resource officer at Great Mills High School.

This shooting occurred in a time of national debate on how it is best to protect students from possible future school shootings. The quick decision of this resource officer, stands as an argument that armed teachers and guards are a better deterrent then gun control. The debates of what should be done is now even further discussed due to this incident.