Older: Another Potential School Shooting You Probably Never Heard About

On August 30, 2010, Thomas Cowan, 62, a man with a history of run-ins with police, paranoia, and arrests, placed two loaded handguns in his pockets and drove to Sullivan Central High School in Blountville, TN. One student, arriving late to school, observed Cowan standing between the unlocked outer doors and the locked inner doors of the front entrance waiting to be buzzed in. That was when the principal, Melanie Riden, came out of the locked doors instead, distracting Cowan, who pulled out one of his handguns and started pointing it at Riden. The student was able to run back outside and away from the doors as the school's resource officer, Carolyn Gudger, drew her gun, pointing it at Cowan, and using her body to shield Riden. Riden ran back inside and Gudger inched Cowan into the school and into the empty cafeteria, using herself as bait, as the rest of the school remained on lockdown. Cowan refused to drop his weapon, despite Gudger's orders, even trying to lunge at her gun to take it away once.

The standoff continued until two police officers finally arrived. As they approached from different directions, Cowan was surrounded but refused to surrender. As he swung his gun around to try to point it, seemingly at everyone at once, the officers opened fire, killing him.

Gudger was praised by students, faculty, town officials and parents as being the person who saved the lives of children that day.

Gudger. The armed, school resource officer saved lives that day.