CNN reaches student inside Maryland school locked down after shooting

CNN anchors reached a Maryland student over the phone on Tuesday while his high school was on lockdown after a shooting in which three people were injured.

Jonathan Freese, a senior at Great Mills High School in St. Mary’s County, called CNN from his math class.

“Police are going through classrooms and checking, making sure students are safe,” Freese said on the call. “Soon we’re going to be escorted out of the school, so I’m not sure how much longer I can stay on the phone.”

The school said on Twitter that the incident had been “contained.”

{mosads} Freese said the shots were reportedly fired in the school’s art hallway around 8 a.m., right before classes started for the day.

He told the anchors he didn’t hear gunshots himself but was told several people were injured.

“I’m still a little shaken up,” Freese said. “I didn’t think it would really happen.”

Freese said the school had done a few lockdown drills in the past but no one expected it would ever be a reality.

Following the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Fla., last month, lawmakers and President Trump have been advocating for tougher school safety policies and armed teachers. 

Freese said there are police officers on campus every day, something that makes him feel safe.

“I do feel safe, though, because they always have police in our school,” Freese said. “And they’re ready for something like this. It’s something they really couldn’t prevent because there are only a couple officers but they’re really well-trained officers. There could have been more casualties.”

He added his math teacher was keeping the students calm while they waited for police.

“He’s casual. He wants to make sure the students are calm,” Freese said. “No one’s really crying or anything at the moment. I know there’s people traumatized … he’s very supportive of this.” 

The call was cut off when police arrived at Freese’s classroom.

Police are reporting that two people are injured and the gunman is dead after shots broke out at the southern Maryland high school.