Nashville shooting at a Christian school results in the deaths of 3 children and 3 adults
A shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville has claimed the lives of three children and three adults, according to local officials.
The suspect, a Caucasian man aged 28 from the Nashville area, was killed by gunfire from two police officers. An official subsequently informed the gunman, who had been described as a woman at first, was assigned female at birth and identified as a he/him.
The shooting happened at a school called The Covenant. Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron told reporters on Monday that three of the dead youngsters were pupils and three of the dead adults were faculty.
According to the official website, Koonce oversaw the institution during his tenure as principal.
At precisely 10:13, the first call came through. After “entered the school through a side entrance and traversed her way from the first floor to the second floor, firing multiple shots,” as stated by Aaron.
Nashville police published images from the scene that evening. According to the police, the gunman broke a window to gain entry to the building. The attacker climbed to the second level and opened fire through a window on responding police cars.
Authorities reported that the shooting occurred in a “lobby-type area” in the top portion of the school and that the gunman was armed with two assault-style rifles and a handgun. By 10:27 a.m., the shooter was already dead, as noted by Aaron. The police determined that two of the weapons were lawfully acquired.
While police have confirmed that the gunman was a former pupil, they have provided no information on a possible motive. Audrey Hale, a resident of Nashville, was named by authorities as the shooter on Monday. Hale did not have a record of any kind.
According to Nashville Police Chief John Drake, Hale was armed with many rounds and “prepared for a confrontation with law enforcement.” He claimed the gunman had made detailed maps of the school, including all of the possible exits.
Drake stated that the parents of the deceased children had been informed.
At least five patients were sent to Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s emergency rooms. Three children and two adults who were rushed to the hospital have tragically passed away, according to a hospital representative.
According to Aaron, he had heard of no further victims of the incident. A responding cop, he added, had been injured by shards of glass.
Specialists in mental health were on hand at a nearby reunion centre for families.
The Covenant School is a private institution affiliated with the Covenant Presbyterian Church that offers classes for children in preschool through sixth grade, as stated on their website. According to Aaron, on a typical school day there would be around 209 kids and 42 teachers.