Teen wounded in US school shooting dies after life support removed

WASHINGTON: A teenage girl left brain dead after she was wounded in a school shooting in Maryland died after she was removed from life support, local officials said Friday.

The girl, 16 year old Jaelynn Willey, was shot in the head by the attacker, with whom she had had a relationship.

Another student was wounded in Tuesday's attack, and the assailant -- also a student -- was shot and killed by a police officer stationed at the high school in southern Maryland.

Writing on behalf of the Willey family, the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office issued a statement "with heavy hearts and great sadness," saying that Jaelynn Willey died at 11:34 pm Thursday (0334 GMT Friday) "surrounded by her family."

Her parents told a news conference late Thursday that their daughter was brain dead and would be taken off of life support.

"My daughter was hurt by a boy who shot her in the head and took everything from us," said her mother, Melissa Willey, according to The Washington Post.

The Great Mills High School shooting came about five weeks after a massacre at a Florida high school left 14 students and three adults dead and sparked a grassroots campaign for tougher laws on gun ownership.

The shootout, in a school located just 90 minutes from the US capital, took place just days before a massive Saturday rally in downtown Washington supporting gun control.