Illinois School Resource Officer Interrupts School Shooter

Illinois School Resource Officer Interrupts School Shooter

Dixon High School's School Resource Officer has been called a hero after interrupting a student who fired several shots in the school.

Roughly 180 students were in the gymnasium of Dixon High School in Illinois practicing for graduation at around 8 a.m. on Wednesday when authorities say a 19-year-old senior came out of the bathroom with a gun and started firing.

School resource officer Mark Dallas was quick to the scene, rushing the shooter in an effort to protect the students, including his own son.

Seniors inside the gym told local reporters that they heard four to five shots ring out and the SRO yell, "Hey, stop." Students barricaded themselves in classrooms as they had been trained to do, others ran from the building as fast as they can.

As the shooter was running away, he fired at Dallas, who returned fire, hitting the suspect in the shoulder. Dallas then arrested the suspect.

School officials and law enforcement praised Dallas as a hero. Without his quick thinking and fearlessness, "much worse things would have happened" that day.

"Our kids did a fantastic job, our staff did a fantastic job, our resource officer did a fantastic job," school principal Mike Grady said at a news conference. "It was a situation where this is the best possible outcome we could have."

The mother of the shooter says she had no idea he had possession of a gun, which belonged to her, but was kept at her 91-year-old grandfather's house. The suspect has been charged with three felony counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm and remains at an area hospital on 24-hour watch. 

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

  • DHS to End ‘Shoes-Off’ Travel Policy

    Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced a new policy today which will allow passengers traveling through domestic airports to keep their shoes on while passing through security screening at TSA checkpoints. Read Now

New Products

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.