There's been another school shooting in the United States, just five weeks after the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida. Two students at a high school in the state of Maryland were shot. One is in stable condition. The other is in critical condition. CGTN's Jim Spellman reports.

Authorities say it was over in less than a minute-- as classes were beginning at Great Mills High School, about 115 kilometers south of Washington D.C., a student armed with a semi-automatic handgun opened fire. Two students were shot -- one male, one female. An armed deputy assigned to the school responded to the shooting.

TIMOTHY CAMERON SAINT MARY'S COUNTY SHERIFF "He pursued the shooter, engaged the shooter during which that engagement, he fired a round at the shooter. Simultaneously, the shooter fired a round as well."

The deputy was uninjured, the shooter was hit and later died. It's not clear if the gunman was killed by the deputy or committed suicide. Students were forced to hide in classrooms as police searched the building. Authorities say the shooter had a relationship with the female victim but they don't yet know the motive. It's the latest school shooting in a country still reeling from last month's attack in Parkland, Florida that killed 17. Since then, students have led a wave of protests demanding action to make schools safer, but little has been done since the Parkland shooting to restrict access to guns.

DR. JAMES SCOTT SMITH, SUPERINTENDENT ST. MARY'S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS "If you don't think this can't happen at your school, you are sadly mistaken. We are shaken but we are very strong."

Students and parents here at Great Mills High School are scared.

"How are you feeling about going back to school?"

"I don't want to go back at all."

MOTHER OF GREAT MILLS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT "I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't feel comfortable sending her back."

JIM SPELLMAN GREAT MILLS, MARYLAND "Many of the students here are expected to join students from around the country at a major protest in Washington this Saturday. They will press lawmakers to do more to make schools safe and to push for tighter gun control measures. Jim Spellman, CGTN, Great Mills Maryland."