6 Killed in Nashville School Shooting, Including 3 Children
Three children and three adults are dead after a shooting Monday at a private grade school in Nashville.
The shooter, 28-year-old Audrey Hale, who identified as trans, is also dead following a confrontation with police, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said via Twitter. Authorities believe Hale was a former student at the school, per The Associated Press.
The shooting occurred Monday morning at The Covenant School, a Christian school for students in preschool through sixth grade.
The Nashville Fire Department and Police Department sent out a call for all parents of the school’s students to meet their kids outside of the building.
Hale entered the school through a side entrance armed with two assault-type rifles and a handgun, officials said. She “shot her way into the building” and, minutes later, was shot and killed by police in a lobby area on the second floor of the school, the police department said.
“We have not been able to determine a motive as of yet. The investigation is very much still ongoing,” Police Chief John Drake told Good Morning America, per ABC News, Tuesday morning. He added that Hale had a map of the school, as well as “writings” of how the shooting was going to take place.
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Two MNPD officers who entered the building and went to the sounds of gunfire engaged the shooter on the second floor and fatally shot her.
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) March 27, 2023
Following the shooting, three kids with gunshot wounds were transferred to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and pronounced dead after arrival, medical center spokesperson Craig Boerner said, per The Washington Post. Three adult staff members were also pronounced dead, authorities said.
The deceased children have since been identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, 9, William Kinney, 9, and Hallie Scruggs, 9. Hallie was the daughter of Chad Scruggs, the senior pastor at the Covenant Presbyterian Church, ABC News reported.
The adults victims have been identified as substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, 61, custodian Mike Hill, 61, and Katherine Koonce, 60, who was head of the school, according to police.
While giving a speech at the National League of Cities conference Monday, First Lady Jill Biden addressed the tragedy. “I am truly without words. Our children deserve better,” she said.
Tennessee governor Bill Lee tweeted that he’s closely monitoring the situation and ongoing response efforts. “Please join us in praying for the school, congregation & Nashville community,” he wrote.
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I am closely monitoring the tragic situation at Covenant, & the @TNDeptofSafety & @TNHighwayPatrol are assisting local law enforcement & first responders at the scene.
As we continue to respond, please join us in praying for the school, congregation & Nashville community.
— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) March 27, 2023
Watch this space for updates.
Rosa Sanchez is the senior news editor at Harper’s Bazaar, working on news as it relates to entertainment, fashion, and culture. Previously, she was a news editor at ABC News and, prior to that, a managing editor of celebrity news at American Media. She has also written features for Rolling Stone, Teen Vogue, Forbes, and The Hollywood Reporter, among other outlets.
Source: harpersbazaar.com
