A police spokesperson later told ABC News the shooter was assigned female at birth but pointed to a social media account linked to the shooter that included the use of the pronouns he/him. Bill Lee tweeted that he's "closely monitoring the tragic situation.". Rachael Anne Elrod, the Metro Nashville School Board chair, said she was inside the worst waiting room you can imagine as officials set about reuniting children with their parents. Some families attend church at one place and school in another. He said he was horrified and deeply saddened by the shooting, which he called a tragedy for the city of Nashville and its many communities, including here at Vanderbilt from members of our community who have children, or know children or staff, at Covenant to colleagues and fellow students at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who cared for the victims as well as families with school-age children who are, once again, hearing of an act of violence on school grounds.. Nashville Christian school shooting leaves 3 children, 3 adults dead The suspect, identified by police as Audrey Hale, 28, of Nashville, had a detailed map of Covenant School, a school for students in preschool through sixth grade, and allegedly shot through the door to gain entry to the school, police said. The Presbyterian Church in America, an evangelical group founded in the 1970s, broke from a larger Presbyterian body over issues including the ordination of women, which the P.C.A. Nashville school shooter had 'emotional disorder' and small arsenal We have to do something, she added, urging people to call their representatives. Theres right now a theory that we may be able to talk about later but its not confirmed, so well put that out as soon as we can.. And the three adults killed included Cynthia Peak, 61, a substitute teacher; Mike Hill, 61, a custodian at the school; and Katherine Koonce, 60, Covenants head. The Covenant School was founded in 2001 as a ministry of the Covenant Presbyterian Church. The online portfolio included illustrations related to businesses around Nashville, including logos and splashy advertisements for a restaurant, a toy store and a video company. The shooter, 28-year-old Audrey Hale, was killed by police. He also served as an editor on the International Desk. Many of the highest-profile school shootings in recent years have taken place at public schools, in part because there are far more public schools in the United States: Nearly 100,000, compared to about 30,000 private schools. What we know about Audrey Hale, the Nashville shooter | CNN ", "Cindy was a pillar of the community, and a teacher beloved by all her students," her family told ABC News in a statement. While those involved fewer than four victims and so were not considered mass shootings, every one of these incidents has a profound impact on everyone involved in the entire school shooting, and they are happening, like, every day, said David Riedman, the researcher behind the K-12 School Shooting Database, which tracks gun incidents on school grounds and has found campus gun violence to be increasing in frequency. The shooter had legally purchased seven firearms from five local gun stores and stashed them around the house, using three of them in the attack, Chief Drake said. The mother and son werent hurt. So I call on Congress, again, to pass my assault weapons ban. Senator Marsha Blackburn, Republican of Tennessee, said on Twitter that she was heartbroken, and that her office had been in contact with the authorities. The shooter was identified as Audrey E. Hale, a 28-year-old former student of the school who lived in the area and was being treated for an emotional disorder. Surveillance video shows the shooter entering the school by firing through glass doors and climbing through. The scene outside a nearby church that had been set up as a reunification area for parents and children after the shooting. The school has about 209 students and about 40 to 50 staff members, officials said. President Biden called on Congress to pass an assault weapons ban following the school shooting in Nashville. Highland Park shooting survivor asks: How is this still happening?. The shooter, identified by police as former student Audrey. "Cindy was supposed to come over to have dinner with Maria last night after she filled in as a substitute teacher yesterday at Covenant.". So far this year, the nation has witnessed the . Mr. Bachmann said the shooting was gut-wrenching for all in the community. The two share a location. Grim statistics: Monday's shooting is the deadliest school shooting since the the attack in Uvalde, Texaslast May. In response to a reporters question about whether the attackers gender identity was connected to the shooting, Chief Drake said, Were investigating all the leads.. Jamie McGee contributed reporting from Nashville. "We are focused on loving our students, our families, our faculty and staff and beginning the process of healing.". Kendra Loney, a spokeswoman for the Nashville Fire Department, said that schoolchildren and members of the schools staff were escorted out of the building after the shooting, and that a total of 108 people had been transported to the nearby Woodmont Baptist Church. More than 270 people were fatally shot or wounded in shootings on school grounds last year, compared to 159 in 2018, the year of the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., according to the database. "We are grateful for the hope of Heaven. Tennessee Gov. The governor said things need to change and that there is more work to do. Details are still emerging about the six people killed in a mass shooting on Monday at the Covenant School in Nashville. As a public service, The Tennessean has made this content free. He described his late daughter as "such a gift. Gov. The Nashville Fire Department said on Twitter that a reunification area had been set up at a nearby church for parents to meet their children. Mark Davis, the current pastor at Park Cities Presbyterian, said he spoke to Mr. Scruggs the day of the shooting. The school is intentionally small with an emphasis on relationships, according to its website, and the school boasts a student-to-teacher ratio of 8-to-1. Four days later, the Nashville Metropolitan Council unanimously voted to temporarily appoint Mr. Jones back to his seat, and he was sworn in the same day. Take them to the playground? Mike Hill is seen here in an undated file photo. The city of Nashville plans to hold a vigil Wednesday night "to mourn and honor the precious lives lost at The Covenant School," a flyer for the event shared by Mayor John Cooper said. "Not a single parent asked me for a thought or a prayer," he said. Officers went there, saw the assailant shooting, and two officers opened fire, killing the shooter at 10:27 a.m. in a lobby-type area on the second floor, Mr. Aaron said. "Maria woke up this morning without one of her best friends, Cindy Peak," Lee said in a video address on Tuesday evening. Ms. With a weapon drawn, the shooter could be seen walking through rooms and the halls of the school, at one point passing the childrens ministry. 2023 NHL Awards: Nashville Covenant School shooting officers honored The school, a stately stone building on a hill in an affluent area of Nashville, is intentionally small, according to its website. ". Support for new gun restrictions often spikes in the immediate wake of high-profile mass shootings, before leveling off later. The shooter: Audrey Hale, 28, was under care for an "emotional disorder," according to Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake. What should they do next? Still, the shooting in Nashville was just one of several instances of gun violence on school campuses in the last week alone. The police received a report of the shooting at 10:13 a.m. and heard gunshots on the second floor when they arrived at the school, a police spokesman, Don Aaron, said. But the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit research group that tracks gun violence using police reports, news coverage and other public sources, defines a mass shooting as one in which at least four people are killed or injured. Law enforcement was investigating on Monday after the shooting at the Covenant School. There was confusion about the gender identity of the assailant in the immediate aftermath of the attack. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department receives a call about an active shooter inside the school. Nashville school shooting: What to know about the 6 victims Even as school shootings become more frequent, the shooting at Covenant was unusual on several counts. Founded in 2001 as a ministry of the Covenant Presbyterian Church, the Covenant School bills itself as intentionally small with about 200 students, according to its website, and a student-to-teacher ratio of 8 to 1. Hill is survived by his seven children -- Marquita Oglesby, Brittany Hill, Shakita Dobbins, Ebony Smith, Joshua Smith, Tawana Smith Garner and Jeremy Smith -- and his 14 grandchildren, according to his family. Emily Cochrane reported from Nashville. The Republicans who control state government, led by Gov. Police identified the shooter as 28-year-old Audrey Elizabeth Hale, who police killed at the scene. Mental health counselors were there to meet the families, she said. The flashes from the shooter's gunfire are seen inCollazo's bodycam footage, which leads the officers down a hall to the suspect's position. "Her favorite roles in life were being a mom to her three children, a wife to her husband, and an educator to students. The police received a report of the shooting at 10:13 a.m., and heard gunshots on the second floor, he said. Nashville police: Covenant School shooting kills six; suspect dead Last summer, Congress passed a bipartisan bill that bolstered background checks for potential gun buyers under the age of 21 and pumped federal money into states to put in place so-called red flag laws, which allow officials to temporarily confiscate guns from people found in court to be unfit to possess them. Dr. Koonce served as his math tutor when he was a home-schooled middle schooler, he said, and the two worked together at a school just a short drive from Covenant, Christ Presbyterian Academy. Their whole lives changed today.. Nashville Tennessean. "I have watched school shootings happen over the years and never thought I would lose a loved one over a person trying to solve a temporary problem with a permanent solution," she wrote. He said the police were in touch with the shooters father, and that it was not immediately clear when the assailant had attended the school. That school has grown more concerned about safety. Another school official is seen handing the officer a key to open an exterior door into the building. Part of the training, she said, is to throw students out of windows and run away as far as possible. Nashville school shooter who killed 6 was heavily armed, left manifesto 10:18. The money will be "supporting those affected by the tragedy that unfolded in the Nashville community on Monday," the team said on its website. Seth Herald/Getty Images. I want a politician to sit in a church with families and 250 kids downstairs that are white as a sheet and trembling and gray and yellow and green and blue because of the shock., Speaking of the students, she added: They started this morning, they had their cute little uniforms on, they probably had some Froot Loops. Three children and three adults were killed Monday at the Covenant School a private Christian elementary school, according to police. As for the church and its teachings, Mr. Bachmann said, we were known to be conservative and biblical., You try to be loving of everybody, but the position of the Presbyterian Church in America is that homosexuality is a sin, he said. He remembered her going carefully through each page of a math lesson, making sure that he understood every problem. Watch: Police says the Nashville suspect was a female armed with assault weapons Six people - three children and three staff - have been killed in a shooting by an ex-student at a school in the US . What to know about Nashville school shooter's writings amid legal fight A shooting at a private religious grade school in Nashville, Tennessee, left three adults and three 9-year-olds dead on March 27. On Monday, a judge will hear arguments over whether the writings that the shooter left behind which could reveal a motive should be released to the public. "She gave her life to protect the students she loved. The assailant was prepared for a confrontation with law enforcement and prepared to do more harm before being killed, Chief Drake said. The church started the school in part because worshipers were finding it difficult to enroll their children in other private schools in the area, according to Jim Bachmann, a former pastor there. There is a clear desire in all of us, whether we agree on the action steps or not, that we must work to find ways to protect against evil, Lee said. 3 children and 3 adults are dead in a shooting at a Christian school in Nashville The massacre drew messages of sympathy from politicians, including President Biden and others across the. 0:00. The footage is from the body-worn cameras of officers Rex Engelbert and Michael Collazo, who police said fatally shot the attacker on Monday at 10:27 a.m. local time. The assailant was killed by the police minutes after they arrived at the scene. Do we bring them to school tomorrow? 27, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Police responds to an active shooter which took place at Covenant School, Covenant Presbyterian Church in Nashville, March 27, 2023. Bill Lee has called for prayers in the wake of Monday's deadly mass shooting at a Nashville elementary school, while noting that "there will be a time to. It is the deadliest school shooting since, 81% of people were in favor of "a federal law requiring background checks on all potential gun buyers. Boston said its foundation will donate $10,000 to Nashville's foundation "to support their efforts in helping the victims families.". What happened: Monday's shooting unfolded over about 14 minutes, according to police, and spanned two floors of the school. Kirsten Noyes, Susan C. Beachy and Kitty Bennett contributed research. NASHVILLE A 28-year-old from Nashville fatally shot three children and three adults on Monday at a private Christian elementary school, officials said, leaving behind writings and detailed. Ms. Beasley said that since surviving the shooting in July, which left seven dead and more than 30 injured, she had been lobbying for gun safety legislation in Washington, meeting with more than 130 lawmakers. Nearly two months after a shooter killed six at The Covenant School in Nashville, records relating to the shooting, such as the shooter's writings, have . Six people, including three children, were killed in Nashville on Monday when a heavily armed former student returned in a planned attack on a private . Ashbey Beasley, who was at the scene of the July Fourth mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, during a news conference in 2022 in Washington. Hale, a 28-year-old who used he/him pronouns, according to authorities, was a former student of the school . Two buses carried a total of 108 children and staff members to a nearby church, Woodmont Baptist, where parents had been asked to reunite with their children, Ms. Loney said. "We will do our best to be mindful and respectful of the more important things in society today, continuing to pray for the shooting victims, their families and the entire Covenant School family, our hearts filled with love and hope for everyone affected," the team said in a tweet. She just always was a kind of quiet girl but was very serious about her work, said Steve LaSuer, an instructor at the school who had taught the attacker in a design and composition in 2015 or 2016. An earlier version of this article misstated the ratio of students to teachers at the Covenant School. School buses with children arrive at Woodmont Baptist Church to be reunited with their families after a mass shooting at The Covenant School, Mar. Even as school shootings become more frequent, the shooting at Covenant was unusual. @adeelnyt, Emily Cochrane is a national correspondent covering the American South, based in Nashville. Kris Brown, the president of Brady: United Against Gun Violence, one of the countrys oldest gun control groups, denounced the frequency of mass shootings and urged people never to grow inured to them. At least two were purchased legally in the Nashville area, the police said. Communities are mourning the victims of a mass shooting in Nashville, Tennessee. Reporting was contributed by Rick Rojas, Eliza Fawcett, Jesus Jimnez, Ruth Graham, Ben Shpigel, Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, Michael Levenson, Jamie McGee, Mary Beth Gahan and Neelam Bohra. The shooting at a Christian school in Nashville on Monday in which six people, including three children, were killed, prompted an outpouring of condolences that spanned party lines but also a big dose of frustration that gun violence continues to plague American life. Covenant Presbyterian Church, which founded and housed the Covenant School, is a prominent church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in America, a theologically conservative denomination. 6 Killed in Nashville School Shooting, Including 3 Children. She said she had considered sending her daughter to Covenant, calling it the sweetest, most wonderful place., Were all resilient, but we shouldnt have to be in this, she added. Police have identified the victims as Evelyn Dieckhaus, 9; Mike Hill, 61; William Kinney, 9; Katherine Koonce, 60; Cynthia Peak, 61; and Hallie Scruggs, 9. NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Gov. Six killed, including three children, in Tennessee school shooting Hale was a former student at The Covenant School, according to police. A shooter opened fire at a private Christian grade school in Nashville Monday, killing three children and three adults, officials said. He was known as "Big Mike" to his students, the GoFundMe said. It built a $15.5 million hilltop sanctuary in the wealthy Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville in the late 2000s, including a pipe organ, an unusual feature in a newly constructed church. This is going to keep happening. Some parents took to social media in the wake of the Covenant School shooting to express their frustration of yet another mass shooting. NASHVILLE, Tennessee, March 28 (Reuters) - The former student of a Christian grade school in Nashville who killed three 9-year-olds and three adults in a shooting spree there was under a. <iframe width="476" height="267" src="https://abc13.com/video/embed/?pid=13031967" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> The Nashville Police Department released new security footage after a. Among those in attendance were Mr. Hills seven children; Jill Biden, the first lady; Mayor John Cooper; and other local leaders and law enforcement officials. 'Nightmare': 6 killed in 'calculated' mass shooting at Nashville school 2023 Nashville school shooting Coordinates: 360535N 864932W On March 27, 2023, a mass school shooting occurred at The Covenant School, a Presbyterian Church in America parochial elementary school in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee. Bodycam footage shows police entering the school amid wailing fire alarmsand immediately going to several roomsto look for the shooter. Three children and three adults were killed in a shooting at a private religious school in Nashville, authorities said. Multiple lawsuits have been filed seeking the release of the shooters writings, including one from a local news outlet. She has always been a woman who is deeply passionate about kids having a love of learning, said David Thomas, a longtime friend. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Dr. Koonce, the head of school since 2016, had previously worked at Christ Presbyterian Academy, a private school five miles away. 01:06 - Source: CNN CNN The woman standing outside Nashville's Covenant School was calm and direct. His remarks on Monday once again highlighted not only the scourge of mass shootings in America, but also the limits of his power to address them. Metro Nashville Police and FBI search and investigate a house in the 3000 block of Brightwood Ave. following a mass shooting at Covenant School, Monday, March 27, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Koonce, the head of the school, was also killed in the shooting. Daniel Diermeier, the chancellor of Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, said in an email to alumni that Dr. Koonce was a 1985 graduate of the universitys Peabody College of Education and Human Development. Students filed out of a private Christian school holding hands while law enforcement responded to the scene. There is video from the school that we are viewing now to try to learn how exactly all of this happened, Mr. Aaron said. Parents of students at the Covenant School were asked to come to the Woodmont Baptist Church, nearby, to reunite with their children, the authorities said. Nashville police confirm school shooting was targeted attack The suspect had a map "of how this was all going to take place," an official said. It appears all the doors were locked and the suspect allegedly shot through a door, officials said. Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, told reporters at a news briefing on Monday that there were no plans for Mr. Biden to address congressional Republicans directly on the issue. He suggested she call a suicide prevention line for assistance, which she did. The officers rush up a stairwell as the gunshots grow louder. How political leaders and gun control groups have responded to the shooting. Cindy was supposed to come over to have dinner with Maria last night, the governor said in a video statement the day after the shooting. In a statement for the national denomination, a spokesman, Bryan Chapell, said, We grieve the loss and trauma associated with this horrible tragedy. Editor's note: This post contains graphic descriptions of violence. We do not have to live like this, nor should we ever accept this as our reality, Ms. Brown said in a statement. He is a founding member of Race/Related, and much of his work focuses on identity and discrimination. "Through tears we trust that she is in the arms of Jesus who will raise her to life once again.". Drake said he "was literally moved to tears to see" the young students as they were "ushered out of the building.". Parents of Covenant School children have asked that the writings not be released until at least after the school year ends, if at all.
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