A lot of people don’t like the idea of school resource officers. They argue that a police officer right there inside the school sends the wrong message. They feel that it also helps feed the school to prison pipeline for whatever reason. For these folks, schools just aren’t a good place for police officers.

But no one seems to mind them when a school resource officer puts an abrupt end to a potential mass shooting.

School resource officer Mark Dallas of the Dixon, Ill., police department shot an ex-student at Dixon High School Wednesday morning preventing potential loss of life at the school after the ex-student opened fire on him.

The ordeal took place at about 8 a.m. local time when the suspect approached Officer Dallas and opened fire, according to local officials. Dallas then returned fire and hit the suspect. The suspect was then apprehended. He is receiving medical treatment for a non-life-threatening wound.

“The Dixon High School and all Dixon Public Schools are on lockdown,” Dixon city government said in a statement posted on their Facebook page. “Dixon Police believe the suspect acted alone and that there is no further threat to the safety of students or staff. Multiple police agencies are on scene. Further information will be released as it becomes available.”

Parents rushed to the scene to pick up their kids after learning of the attack. They were relieved by the news that none of their children were injured.

“My heart right now is racing a million miles a minute,” James Johnson, the father of two kids attending Dixon High School, told WQAD. “It’s very, very frightening.”

Johnson said he was grateful Officer Dallas was able to take quick action and protect his children.

Honestly, what parent wouldn’t feel that way?

The action of Officer Dallas, along with the actions of the officer at the Great Mills High School shooting, illustrate just how effective a good guy with a gun can be in preventing something like Parkland. The fact that the school resource officer was apparently a complete and total coward is the only thing that allowed that shooting to go on as long as it did.

I get the objections to school resource officers. To some extent, I’m sympathetic. However, I also understand that an absence of police officers has never improved people’s behavior as a general rule. I also understand that if you’re not going to let teachers carry firearms, you need someone who is armed and can respond to a vicious attack like this.

That means a police officer of some sort.

Like it or not, anti-gunners, the only want to stop school shootings–or any kind of shooting, for that matter–you need good guys with guns. That’s the only way to stop a shooter. A determined attacker won’t be talked down, they damn sure won’t be hugged down, and they won’t stop until they’re confronted or they’re finished. Period.

If they’re confronted early, like this case, no one dies. That won’t always happen, unfortunately, because one officer can’t be everywhere. In this case, it did thankfully.

Just imagine how few people would die if there were more good guys with guns?