A 12-year-old boy carries a gun into a middle school and begins shooting. A teacher, trying to help, was shot dead. Two students wounded. After that, the shooter shot himself to death.    The violence erupted nearly a year after a gunman horrified the nation by opening fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, leaving 26 dead.  The Dec. 14 shooting re-ignited debate over how best to protect the nation’s schools.

“School shootings are becoming a big problem and have been on the rise. They are definitely driven by bullying in some way. I feel they both need to be put to an end,” said Matt Schuetz, 9.

Michael Landsberry, a math teacher at Sparks Middle School, attempted to talk the boy out of the shooting. He was using his body as a human shield to protect students. He is depicted as a hero for the school.

“I think it is so brave that this teacher would stick up and literally take his life for those children. We never know who is actually willing enough to put themselves before others,” said Andrea Jimenez, 11.

The police believe the boy took his parents’ handgun to school. They are still investigating and putting the pieces together of why a seventh-grader would do such a thing.

“It is sad that some kids’ cry for help is so often ignored that an innocent child turns towards violence and harms others. It effects families and friends in ways unimaginable and is just an awful part of life,” said Sarita Evans, 9.