By Aditi Sangal, Elise Hammond, Maureen Chowdhury, Zoe Sottile, Amir Vera, Meg Wagner, Veronica Rocha, Melissa Macaya and Helen Regan, CNN
Updated 7:18 AM EDT, Tue March 28, 2023
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'They escaped from the woods': Witness describes scene outside of school
03:02 - Source: CNN
What we know so far
- Three 9-year-old children and three adults were killed Monday in a shooting at a private Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, police said.
- Two of the victims were school employees. One was the head of the school and the other a custodian, according to the school.
- The shooter, a 28-year-old Nashville resident police say was once a student at the school, was killed during gunfire with police, authorities said.
- The attack, which police said was a targeted one andinvolved prior planning, was the deadliest US school shooting in nearly a year. The shooter had drawn detailed maps of the school, police said, including the entry points to the building. Police have also locatedwritings from the shooter that they are reviewing.
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Our live coverage of the Nashville school shooting has moved here.
Church confirms former pastor’s daughter died in Nashville school shooting
From CNN staffPark Cities Presbyterian Church in Dallasreleased a statement Monday confirming that their former pastor, Chad Scruggs, lost his daughter Hallie in Monday’s shooting at the Covenant School.
CNN had reported that Hallie Scruggs was among the three 9-year-old students shot and killed in the shooting.
Here is the church’s statement:
Former teammate of shooter describes chilling message she received from shooter before school shooting
From CNN's Tina BurnsideIn messages shared with CNN affiliate WTVF, a former middle school basketball teammate of Audrey Hale provides chilling new details regarding an exchange she had on social media with the shooter prior to yesterday’s school shooting in Nashville.
Averianna Patton said she saw a message on her phone that Hale had sent to her on Instagram Monday morning that stated Hale was planning to die by suicide and that she would see it on the news.A screenshot of a message published by WTVF appeared to show that the message was sent at 9:57 a.m. local time.
“One day this will make more sense,” Hale wrote. “I’ve left behind more than enough evidence behind. But something bad is about to happen,” the message stated.
“I tried to comfort and encourage her and subsequently reached out to the Suicide Prevention Help Line after being instructed to by my father at 10:08 am,” Patton said.
Patton tells WTVF that she she called the Nashville Davidson County Sheriff’s Office at 10:13 a.m. to make them aware of the situation and was instructed to call Nashville’s non-emergency number.
“I called Nashville’s non-emergency line at 10:14 a.m. and was on hold for nearly seven minutes before speaking with someone who said that they would send an officer to my home. An officer did not come to my home until 3:29 p.m.,” Patton said.
Don Aaron, spokesperson for the Metro Nashville Police Department, said during a news conference that the first calls of an active shooting came in at around 10:15 a.m. local time.
When officers arrived, they went through the first level of the building, he said. They then heard gunshots coming from the second level of the building, according to Aaron. He said that’s where police confronted and killed the shooter at 10:27 a.m. local time.
Here's the latest on the Nashville school shooting — and where things stand in the investigation
From CNN's Nouran Salahieh![Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (8) Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (8)](https://i0.wp.com/media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/b3a9c5e0-f57b-433c-856d-a3e632f2ed52.jpg?q=h_2021,w_3000,x_0,y_0/w_1280)
A person places flowers at a makeshift memorial outside the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 27.
Police in Nashville are still digging into the background and motivations of a former student who entered a Christian elementary school armed with AR-style weapons and detailed maps and opened fire,killing three children and three adults.
If you are just reading in, here’s the latest on the shooting and investigation:
The shooter: The person was identified as 28-year-old Audrey Hale. Hale was shot and killed by police during the Monday attack, and left behind “drawn out” maps of the Covenant School detailing “how this was all going to take place,” Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said. As police work to piece together what led up to the violence, officials said they had determined where the shooter lived in the Nashville area and have interviewed Hale’s father.
Hale, who attended the Christian school years ago, left writings that pertain to the shooting and had scouted a second possible attack location in Nashville, “but because of a threat assessment by the suspect – there’s too much security – they decided not to,” police chief said.The writings revealed that the attack at Covenant School “was calculated and planned,” Metro Nashville said.
So far, little is known about the shooter. Hale graduated from Nossi College of Art & Design in Nashville last year, the president of the school confirmed to CNN, and a LinkedIn profile says Hale worked as a freelance graphic designer and a part-time grocery shopper.
Police have referred to Hale as the “female shooter” and at an evening press conference added that Hale was transgender. When asked for clarification, a spokesperson told CNN Hale used “male pronouns” on a social media profile.
The weapons: The shooter was “someone that had multiple rounds of ammunition, prepared for confrontation with law enforcement, prepared to do more harm than was actually done,” the police chief said in a news conference.
Three weapons – an AR-style rifle, an AR-style pistol and a handgun – were found and police believe Hale obtained at least two of the weapons legally, Drake said. A search warrant executed at Hale’s home also resulted in the seizure of a sawed-off shotgun, a second shotgun and other evidence, according to police.
The victims: All three students shot and killed were 9 years old. They were identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney. Three adults killed in the shooting were identified as 61-year-old Cynthia Peak, 60-year-old Katherine Koonce and 61-year-old Mike Hill, police said. Two Covenant School employees are among the victims of Monday’s mass shooting, according to the school.
What is expected to happen today: Investigators were expected to spend Tuesday processing the scene and gathering more details about what happened during the roughly 14 minutes of terror at the elementary school.
Mass shootings in America: The attack marked the 19th shooting at a school or university so far in 2023 in which at least one person was wounded, according to a CNN tally. With six victims, the shooting at Covenant is the deadliest school shooting since the attack in Uvalde, Texas, last May left 21 people dead.
Read more about the shooting here.
President of gun control nonprofit says "this is on us"
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Kris Brown, the president of Brady: United Against Gun Violence, speaks to CNN on Tuesday.
Kris Brown, the president of Brady: United Against Gun Violence, said the solutions to stopping mass shootings “are before us and they have been for a long time” but it will take voters to make the change.
Brady is a US nonprofit that advocates for gun control and against gun violence.
“It takes all of us. This isn’t just on the kids. This is on adults,” Brown added. “This is on their grandparents. This is on us and we can make a difference, but we have to make it an absolute priority and then hold elected officials toaccount when they do not vote ‘yes’ on bills to advance lifesaving measures.”
Analysis: America's kids are failed again
Analysis from CNN'sStephen Collinson![Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (10) Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (10)](https://i0.wp.com/media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/e661628c-0df7-4ce3-9a54-32fb839b5d4b.jpg?q=h_1333,w_2000,x_0,y_0/w_1280)
Children from the Covenant School hold hands as they are taken to a reunification site after a deadly shooting at their school in Nashville on Monday.
A more heartrending and quintessentiallyAmerican sceneis hard to imagine.
A human chain of children, hand-in-hand, shepherded by police officers, fled the latest school struck by unfathomable tragedy. On Monday, it wasNashville’s turnto join the roster of cities made notorious by a mass shooting epidemic much of the country seems prepared to tacitly accept as the price of the right to own high-powered firearms.
The reality of what unfolded inside was inhuman, but it can unfortunately be imagined given the gruesome insider accounts that emerged from previous school shootings — inUvalde, Texas,last year, or at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut in 2012.
Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney, all 9 years old, were gunned down by a shooter armed with two AR-style weapons and a handgun, two of which police said were bought legally. Their names — known only to the rest of America in death — were released by police about the same time as they should have been going home from Covenant School for the day.
Three staff, all half a century older, also died. They were Cynthia Peak, 61, Katherine Koonce, 60, and Mike Hill, 61.
They were all murdered in the place that should be the safest: where kids go to school. But a plague of recent classroom rampages, distinguished even among America’s gun violence by their depravity, shows that nowhere is really secure.
Read the full analysis here.
Covenant School says "community is heartbroken" following shooting
From CNN's Tina Burnside![Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (11) Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (11)](https://i0.wp.com/media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/41cfae80-752a-4eca-b099-006cc89c3dae.jpg?q=h_1957,w_3000,x_0,y_0/w_1280)
People attend a vigil for the Covenant School mass shooting victims at Woodmont Christian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 27.
The Covenant School that was the scene of Monday’s school shooting in Nashville said their community is “heartbroken” following the attack that killed three young students and three staff members.
The private Christian elementary schoolreleased a statement to CNN affiliate WZTV.
The Covenant School said “we are tremendously grateful to the first responders who acted quickly to protect our students, faculty and staff” and asked for “privacy as our community grapples with this terrible tragedy.”
Nashville police identify officers who fatally shot school shooting suspect
From CNN's Tina Burnside and Amanda Jackson![Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (12) Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (12)](https://i0.wp.com/media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/200f458b-0235-4065-a31f-d86c06918608.jpg?q=h_885,w_1600,x_0,y_0/w_1280)
Officer Rex Englebert, left, and Officer Michael Collazo.
The two Metro Nashville Police Department officers who fatally shot school shooting suspect Audrey Hale have been identified as Officer Rex Englebert and Officer Michael Collazo, according to anews releasefrom MNPD.
Englebert is a four-year veteran with MNPD and Collazo has been with the department for nine years, police said.
Hale was fatally shot on the second floor in a common area of the school where the shooter had been opening fire through a window at arriving police cars, the release said.
Writings recovered from Hale revealed that the attack was calculated and planned, police said.
A search warrant executed at Hale’s Nashville home resulted in the seizure of a sawed-off shotgun, a second shotgun and other evidence, police said.
Shooter graduated from Nashville art college, school president says
From CNN's Curt Devine and Audrey AshAudrey Hale graduated from Nossi College of Art & Designin Nashville last year, the school’s president confirmed to CNN Monday.
Nossi College of Art & Design is described on its website as “the only college in Tennessee designed specifically as an art school.”
Police earlier identified Hale, 28, as the shooter Monday in the killing of three 9-year-old students and three adults at the Covenant School, a private Christian elementary school in Nashville where the shooter was a former student. Hale was shot and killed by police during the attack, which was the deadliest school shooting in nearly a year.
A LinkedIn profile said Haleworked as a freelance graphic designer and a part-time grocery shopper.
2 victims in Monday's mass shooting were school employees
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Photo of Covenant School Shooting victims Katherine Koonce and Mike Hill.
Two Covenant School employees are among the victims of Monday’s mass shooting, according to the school.
Katherine Koonce was identified as the head of the school on its website.
Mike Hill was identified in the staff section of the Covenant Presbyterian Church’s website, which is now offline. He was listed as facilities/kitchen staff. A friend of Mike Hill confirmed his image to CNN. Hill, 61, was a custodian at the school, per police.
Biden orders flags flown at half-staff to honor victims of Nashville school shooting
From CNN's DJ JuddPresident Joe Biden has ordered the flags at the White House and all federal buildings be flown at half-staff to honor the victims from Monday’s school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee.
The order will be in effect until Friday, according to the White House.
Mother who lost son in 2018 mass shooting says her other son was on lockdown for Monday's shooting
From CNN’s Sara SmartA mother who lost her son in a 2018 mass shooting told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that Monday’s shooting in Nashville took her back to that moment as her other son was in lockdown at a nearby high school.
Shaundelle Brooks lost her son, Akilah DaSilva, during amass shooting at a Nashville-area Waffle Housein 2018. Her other son, Aldane Brooks, was placed on lockdown at a nearby high school on Monday when the shooting occurred atCovenant School.
“We didn’t know if we were safe,” Aldane Brooks told CNN’s Anderson Cooper. “We didn’t know if someone was coming to kill us or not.”
Brooks added that she wanted to race to her son’s school the moment she heard news of a shooting, but he told her to wait as they had no information as to what was going on.
“We’re not safe anywhere,” Brooks said, “We’re not safe in schools, we’re not safe when we go out to eat, we’re not safe in church, we’re not safe at the Waffle House.”
Brooks said she thinks about mass shootings every time she drops her son off at school.
The mother and son addressed families of the victims of Monday’s shooting saying they “understand this feeling first hand.”
“The pain will forever be there, but you’re not alone,” Aldane Brooks said.
Police release photo of shooter's car on school campus and locked door that was shot out to gain entry
From CNN’s Jamiel LynchIn atweet, Metro Nashville Police shared a photo of the car driven by Covenant School shooter Audrey Hale as well as the doors that the shooter shot out to gain entry into the school.
Inside the vehicle, additional material written by the shooter was found, the tweet said.
“Active shooter Audrey Elizabeth Hale, 28, drove this Honda Fit to the Covenant Church/school campus this morning and parked. MNPD detectives searched it and found additional material written by Hale.”
In a secondtweet, police released photos of the doors the shooter shot out to enter the building.
“Hale entered the Covenant building after shooting out the glass of these doors,” the tweet said.
Survivor of Illinois shooting was visiting Nashville when she heard about today's shooting
From CNN’s Sara Smart![Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (14) Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (14)](https://i0.wp.com/media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/8a2dc935-bb77-4c2f-a010-7614b12842c1.jpg?q=h_1080,w_1920,x_0,y_0/w_1280)
AshbeyBeasley speaks about gun safety legislation on Monday in an interview with CNN.
A survivor of theHighland Park, Illinois shooting in July was visiting Nashville at time of Monday’sshooting at Covenant School.
Ashbey Beasley told CNN’s Erin Burnett on Monday evening that she was visiting her sister-in-law in Nashville and was set to have lunch with a friend when she heard about the shooting.
Following the Highland Park shooting, Beasley has joined a gun violence prevention group and dedicated her life to making a change with gun laws.
“It’s the access to guns that is killing us,” Beasley said, “We’re not going to see any change until our lawmakers step up and pass gun safety legislation,”
“Unfortunately that’s where we’re at, we have to take care of each other, survivors have to take care of each other,” Beasley said.
Beasleyjumped in a news conferenceearlier Monday, following the Nashville shooting, to protest against gun violence.
Former president Barack Obamatook to Twitterto share the video of Beasley during that news conference saying, “We are failing our children. Guns are now the leading cause of death for children in the U.S. Michelle and I mourn with the students and families of the Covenant School today.”
Nashville shooter may have resented having to attend Covenant School, chief says
From CNN’s Jamiel LynchThe shooter who killed six people at Covenant School in Nashville Monday may have resented having to attend the school in the past, according to Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake.
Police said Monday they believe the 28-year-old shooter attended the school, but they weren’t sure what years.
Drake said the shooter targeted random people in the school.
Police continue to investigate the school shooting that killed 6 in Nashville. Here's what we know now
From CNN staff![Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (15) Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (15)](https://i0.wp.com/media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/bbdcd81b-db32-4cb2-ada3-385c53b9ada4.jpg?q=h_2000,w_3000,x_0,y_0/w_1280)
Mario Dennis, one of the kitchen staff at the Covenant School, sits near a police officer after ashootingat the facility in Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday.
At least three students and three adults are dead following a shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, the Metro Nashville Police Department said Monday. The students who were killed were all 9 years old, police said.
The shooter, who was identified as a 28-year-old former student of the school, was also killed in a shootout with police.
Here’s what we know so far:
- About Covenant School: The school is a private Christian school founded in 2001 as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church. It has an average enrollment of about 200 people in recent years,according to its website, and it teaches preschool through 6th grade.
- What happened: Don Aaron, spokesperson for the Metro Nashville Police Department, said the first calls of an active shooting came in at around 10:15 a.m. local time. When officers arrived, they went through the first level of the building, he said. They then heard gunshots coming from the second level of the building, according to Aaron. He said that’s where police confronted and killed the shooter at 10:27 a.m. local time.
- The shooter: The shooter has been identified as 28-year-old Nashville resident Audrey Hale. The shooter was armed with a handgun and two AR-style weapons — one a rifle and an AR-style pistol, Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said. Two of those may have been obtained legally and locally in Nashville, Drake said. According to initial findings, the shooter was once a student at the school, he added, though he said police are unsure what years.
- Prior planning: The shooter had drawn detailed maps of Covenant School, Drake said, including the entry points to the building and detailing “how this was all gonna take place.” Drake said police believe the shooter shot through one of the doors to get into the school. Drake said the school was the only location targeted by the shooter. Police have also locatedwritings that they are reviewing.
- The victims: The three students who were shot and killed at Covenant School were all 9 years old, police said. They have been identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney, according to police. Three adults were also killed in the shooting. They have been identified as 61-year-old Cynthia Peak, 60-year-old Katherine Koonce and 61-year-old Mike Hill, police said.
- What’s next: Police will spend the next two days processing the scene and working to gather more details about what happened during a shooting at a Nashville elementary school, Aaron said, adding police also intend to release video soon. Officials said they knew where the shooter lived and they have interviewed the shooter’s father.
- Call for gun safety legislation: President Joe Biden called the shooting at a Nashville school “heartbreaking, a family’s worst nightmare,” while advocating for gun reform. Biden said Congress needs to pass an assault weapons ban because we “need to do more to protect our schools.” However, a bipartisan solution is extremely unlikely this Congress with a slim Democratic majority in the Senate and a GOP-led House. Nashville Mayor John Cooper said too many children are dying from guns and that the community needs to come together to support each other.
- Mass shootings in America: There have been at least 130 mass shooting in the US so far in 2023, according to data fromthe Gun Violence Archive. The Gun Violence Archive, like CNN, defines a mass shooting as one in which at least four people are shot, excluding the shooter.
Presbyterian Church in America sends "heartfelt concerns and prayers" to shooting victims
From CNN's Jamiel LynchIn a statement sent to CNN, Bryan Chapell of the Presbyterian Church in America expressed the church’s condolences to the victims of the Covenant School shooting.
Covenant School was founded as a ministry of the Covenant Presbyterian Church, according to its website. The church is part of the Presbyterian Church in America.
Police expected to be processing shooting scene into Tuesday
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Metro Nashville Police officers gather near The Covenant School, in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday.
Police will spend the next two days processing the scene and working to gather more details about what happened during a shooting at a Nashville elementary school, the Metro Nashville Police Department said.
This will likely occur Monday evening into Tuesday, said the department’s spokesperson, Don Aaron.
Aaron said police also intend to release video soon.
Police also said they knew where the shooter lived and they interviewed the shooter’s father and will continue their investigation.
Shooter identified as 28-year-old Nashville resident
From CNN’s Jamiel LynchAccording to Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake, the person who killed six people, including three children atCovenant School in Nashville Mondayhas been identified as Audrey Hale, a 28-year-old Nashville resident.
Drake said that they have determined that maps were drawn of the school with details of surveillance and entry points.
The shooter gained entry into the school by shooting through one of the doors, he added.
Drake said police have interviewed the shooter’s father.
Shooter had 2 AR-style weapons and a handgun, police chief says
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A weapon allegedlyused at the Covenant School by the mass shooting suspectis seen in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. on March 27.
The suspect in Monday’s shooting was armed with three firearms, Metro Nashville Police Department Chief John Drake said.
Police say they've found the shooter's writings
Police have located writings and a map associated with the shooting at the Covenant School, according to Metro Nashville Police Department Chief John Drake.
He added that the school was the only location targeted by the shooter.
Shooter had detailed maps of the school and shot through a door to gain entry, police say
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Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake speaks to the media on Monday, in Nashville, Tennessee.
The 28-year-old shooter had drawn detailed maps of Covenant School, a private Christian elementary school, Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said during a news conference Monday.
Children dying from gun violence is unacceptable, Nashville mayor says
Nashville Mayor John Cooper said too many children are dying from guns — a point punctuated by a mass shooting at an elementary school Monday morning that killed six people, three of them children.
“The leading cause of kids’ death now is guns and gunfire and that is unacceptable,” Cooper said.
A recent study published in the journalJAMA Pediatrics in December backs that point, finding that homicide is aleading cause of death for children in the United States and the overall rate has increased an average of 4.3% each year for nearly a decade.
Cooper said he is “overwhelmed at the thought of the loss of these families, of the future lost by these children and their families.”
He said the community needs to come together and support each other.
Biden had "quite visceral" reaction to news that children had died in Nashville shooting, official says
From CNN's MJ Lee and Jasmine WrightWhen President Joe Biden was initially briefed on the Nashville school shooting that killed six people, he had a “quite visceral” reaction to the news that children were among the casualties, according to a senior administration official familiar with Biden’s response to the news.
Biden has been kept up to date throughout the day as more information has come out about the circ*mstances surrounding the Nashville shooting.
Earlier this afternoon, Biden lamented in remarks in the East Room that gun violence was “ripping our communities apart, ripping the soul of this nation, ripping at the very soul of the nation.”
Vice President Kamala Harris said she has been thinking and praying for the community, acknowledging the shooting at the top of her remarks during the State Banquet in Ghana.
3 students killed in shooting were all 9 years old, police say
The three students who were shot and killed at Covenant School were all 9 years old, the Metro Nashville Police Department said in a tweet Monday.
They have been identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney, according to police.
Three adults were also killed in the shooting. They have been identified as 61-year-old Cynthia Peak, 60-year-old Katherine Koonce and 61-year-old Mike Hill, police said.
Nashville police are expected to give an update on its investigation into the school shooting soon.
Senate majority leader: "We’re holding in our hearts" the victims of the Nashville shooting
From CNN's Nicky Robertson![Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (19) Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (19)](https://i0.wp.com/media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/ea91fd60-fbef-4f6d-af28-590db783ad4b.jpg?q=h_1990,w_3000,x_0,y_0/w_1280)
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pauses while speaking to the media at the Capitol, in Washington, DC on March 15.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer acknowledged the school shooting in Nashville and those who affected by it on Monday afternoon.
The politician did not mention any potential congressional action onany new gun-related legislation.
Nashville sports teams and players reflect on school shooting in their community
From CNN's Wayne L. SterlingSports teams located in Nashville are showing their support for the community after a school shooting killed six people, three of them children.
“We are heartbroken by the senseless loss of life at Covenant School today,” the Tennessee Titans said on Twitter, offering condolences to the families of those who were killed.
Several Titans players also posted messages on Twitter:
- Running back Derrick Henry said, “I’m praying for comfort and peace for all those affected in our community.”
- Offensive lineman Taylor Lewan called for an end to gun violence, calling the incident “disgusting, these are children,” in a tweet.
- Safety Kevin Byard tweeted that he is praying for the families and added he “cannot believe this happens in our communities.”
Major League Soccer’s Nashville SC said it is “devastated by today’s horrific school shooting and the thoughts that these innocent children and staff won’t be coming home.”
Nashville SC midfielder Dax McCarty added in his own tweet that he drives by the Covenant School every day on his way to training.
“Its easy to wallow in your own misery after a bad game or a bad day, but news like this hits you in the chest like a freight train and you realize how trivial those feelings are,” McCarty said.
Vanderbilt Athletics retweeted a statement from Chancellor Daniel Diermeier pledging to share as much information as possible with the community.
"I just broke down in tears": Tennessee lawmaker describes watching the aftermath of the school shooting
Tennessee state representative Bob Freeman said that he “broke down in tears” after watching video of children being escorted from Covenant School after a school shooting that killed six.
He told CNN in an interview on Monday afternoon that he has been receiving calls from concerned parents, asking for details and updates on their children.
“That’s not something you want to have to field calls for,” he said. “All across our city tonight at dinner, we’re going to have some tough conversations with our kids.”
Freeman mentioned that he has three children in the age range served by Covenant School. “There’s a very high likelihood that one of their friends or acquaintances was one of the injured and/or deceased,” he said.
He called for action to combat school shootings but said that state officials “don’t have the courage to do it.”
“Other countries have had a meaningful impact on gun violence, and there’s a playbook that we should follow,” he said.
Attorney General Merrick Garland briefed on Nashville school shooting
From CNN's Hannah Rabinowitz![Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (20) Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (20)](https://i0.wp.com/media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/dde17952-1ccd-4fb1-bd8d-9d49ed449dca.jpg?q=h_2000,w_3000,x_0,y_0/w_1280)
Attorney General Merrick Garland in the Hart Building on Wednesday, March 1.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland has been briefed on the school shooting in Nashville Monday morning that left six dead, according to a Justice Department spokesperson.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Biden administration has been in contact with the Justice Department and local officials about the investigation.
Special agents from theFBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded to the scene of the shooting, the Justice Department said, and are assisting local partners.
Police believe the shooter was once a student at Covenant School
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Metro Nashville Police officers gather near The Covenant School, on Monday, in Nashville, Tennessee.
The 28-year old shooter who killed six people at a private school in Nashville was once a student at the school, according to initial findings from police.
At a Monday press conference, Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said, “From my initial findings, at one point, she was a student at that school.”
He added that he was unsure what year she had attended the school.
Drake did not give the woman’s name and said the investigation was ongoing. He said police have identified where she lived in Nashville.
There was a “car nearby that gave us clues” into who she was, he added.
The shooter was killed by police after fatally shooting three adults and three children at Covenant School on Monday.
Biden calls on Congress to pass an assault weapons ban following Nashville shooting
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President Joe Biden speaks during the SBA Women's Business Summit at the White House on Monday.
President Joe Biden called the shooting at a Nashville school that killed six people, including three children, “heartbreaking, a family’s worst nightmare.”
The president, who was speaking at Small Business Administration’s Women’s Business Summit Monday, said more needs to be done to stop gun violence.
The shooting took place at the Covenant School, a private Christian elementary school in Nashville that teaches preschool through 6th grade, Nashville police said.
Officials said the shooter was armed with at least two “assault-type” rifles and a handgun.
Biden called on Congress to pass an assault weapons ban, saying we “need to do more to protect our schools.”
“It’s about time we began to make some more progress,” he said.
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, a Democrat, echoed the president’s remarks, saying he strongly supports “bills to ban assault weapons from civilian use and to close gaps in our background check system.”
He urged lawmakers to come up with a bipartisan solution, but that is extremely unlikely this Congress with a slim Democratic majority in the Senate and a GOP-led House.
Last year the Senate passed the “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act,” the first major piece of legislation to address gun violence since 1994.The legislation fell short of what some Democrats had hoped for, including their long hope of banning assault weapons.
Watch here:
CNN’s Nicky Robertson contributed reporting to this post.
"It happened so fast": Witness describes police response to shooting
From CNN's Carroll AlvaradoA woman working across the street from the Covenant School described watching the police arrive at the scene of the Monday morning mass shooting in Nashville.
Jozen Reodica, who works at Shearwater Health across the street from the Covenant School, told CNN she realized something was wrong when she saw several police cars arrive at the scene.
Reodica shot video of police escorting students out of the school, which is a private Christian elementary school. The students were holding hands and walking in a line, according to Reodica.
Three students and three adults were killed in the shooting, according to police. The shooter, a 28-year old woman, was killed by police at the scene.
White House calls on Congress to take action and pass gun safety legislation
From CNN's DJ JuddWhite House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks about the shooting in Nashville during the daily press briefing at the White House on Monday.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called on lawmakers — including Republicans — to pass gun safety legislation in the wake of the Nashville school shooting that resulted in six dead Monday.
She pointed to President Joe Biden’s remarks calling for Congress to address gun violence during his State of the Union address last month.
Jean-Pierre said Biden will address the Nashville shooting during scheduled remarks at the White House Monday afternoon. She said the president has been briefed on the shooting and is in contact with officials.
A female shooter was killed by police after killing three students and three adults at the Covenant School, according to Nashville Police Department spokesperson Don Aaron.
Any legislation to pass comprehensive gun legislation faces an uphill battle in a divided Congress, while the Republican-controlled House has shown little interest in gun control legislation.
Still, Jean-Pierre said Biden would continue to call on Congress to take action, adding Biden “has done almost as much as he can from the federal level to show how important this is to him.”
First responders tried to provide life-saving efforts to those who"hadviablesignsoflife"
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Nashville Fire Department'sKendra Loney speaks during a press conference on Monday.
TheNashville Fire Departmenttried to provide life-saving efforts duringMonday’s shooting incident atCovenant School, Covenant Presbyterian Church, authorities said Monday during a newsconference.
“Ourcrewswereabletobeonscenetopulloutthosethathadviablesignsoflife.Those thatwerestillshowingtheoptiontobesaved,” Nashville Fire Department’sKendra Loney said.
A reunification site was set up soon after with “mentalhealthspecialistsandprofessionals” for the families and students,Loney added.
On a typical day, there’s about 200studentsand about 40 to 50 staff members inside the school,Don Aaron with theMetropolitan Nashville Police Department said.
It’s unclear how many people were in the school Monday.
“Thereisvideofromtheschoolthatweareviewingnowtotrytolearnexactlyhowallof thishappened,”Aaron said.
Officials said another update on the incident is expected sometime soon. Aaron said they’dtweetwhen the next update is expected.
Police say shooter was 28-year old Nashville woman
From CNN's Andi Babineau![Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (26) Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (26)](https://i0.wp.com/media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/6964d351-b567-4abf-b7d3-9b337e761342.jpg?q=h_2000,w_3000,x_0,y_0/w_1280)
A police officer walks by an entrance to Covenant School in Nashville on Monday.
The shooter who killed six at a Nashville private school on Monday morning was a 28-year-old woman, according to police. Authorities previously said she appeared to be a teenager.
“3 students & 3 adult staff members from Covenant School were fatally shot by the active shooter, who has now been identified as a 28-year-old Nashville woman,” police said in a tweet.
In a news conference earlier, a spokesperson for the police department had said the deceased shooter appeared to be a teenager.
The woman has still not been identified by name. Police have not shared a possible motive for the shooting or identified a connection between the woman and the school.
"Our entire city stands with you": Local officials give condolences to those killed in school shooting
Local officials say they are standing with the six people killed Monday in a shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee.
Nashville Mayor John Cooper said in a tweet his “heart goes out to the families of the victims” and thanked officials for their response.
Rep. Andy Ogles, who represents Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District which includes the Covenant School, said he is “devastated by the tragedy,” in a statement on Twitter.
Ogles said as a father, “I am utterly heartbroken by this senseless act of violence,” according to the statement.
He said he will monitor the situation and is working with local officials.
Readers were quick to remindOglesof a photo he posted on Facebook in Christmas 2022 when he was Mayor of Maury County that showed him and his family standing in front of a Christmas tree holding weapons, with the caption “The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference – they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good.”
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, who represents parts of Nashville and West Tennessee, also tweeted that her office is in contact with officials at all levels.
First lady Jill Biden: "Our children deserve better"
First lady Jill Biden reacted to the Nashville school shooting while at an event in Washington, DC, on Monday.
There have been at least 130 mass shooting in the US this year
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A group prays with a child outside the reunification center at the Woodmont Baptist church after a school shooting on Monday, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Following Monday morning’s shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, is there have been at least 130 mass shooting in the US so far in 2023, according to data fromthe Gun Violence Archive.
The Gun Violence Archive, like CNN, defines a mass shooting as one in which at least four people are shot, excluding the shooter.
Three students and three adults were killed at the Covenant School. The shooter, who was identified as a 28-year-old Nashville woman, was also killed in a shootout with police.
Last year, the US hit 100 mass shootings on March 19,per the GVA. The previous year, 2021, saw a late March date as well. From 2018 to 2020, the country didn’t reach 100 mass shootings until May.
This post has updated with the latest figures from the Gun Violence Archive.
President Biden has been briefed on Nashville shooting
From CNN's MJ LeePresident Joe Biden has been briefed on the Nashville school shooting, according to a White House official.
At least three children and three adults were killed, police said. Several agencies are responding.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Biden administration is in contact with the Justice Department and local officials about the ongoing investigation. The president also wants to express his appreciation for first responders, she said.
While officials don’t yet know all of the details about what happened, “we know that too often our schools and communities are being devastated by gun violence,” Jean-Pierre said.
“Schools should be safe spaces for our kids to grow and learn and for our educators to teach,” she added.
Shooter's connection to Nashville school is unclear, police say
Police officers stand guard at the entrance of Covenant School in Nashville on Monday.
Officials do not yet know the identity of the shooter who killed at least six at a Nashville private school on Monday morning.
Don Aaron of the Metro Nashville Police Department said that police are still working to identify the shooter, who was fatally shot by police.
He said that they do not yet know whether she had any connection to the school, although she “appeared” to be a teenager. Police later identified the shooter as a 28-year-old Nashville woman.
At least 3 children and 3 adults killed in Nashville school shooting, police say
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An ambulance leaves the Covenant School, in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday.
At least three students and three adults are dead following a shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, police said Monday.
Five of the six shooting victims were transported, Aaron said. All those who were shot are dead, he added.
“Three students who were shot aredeceased. Three staff memberswho were shot are deceased,” Aaron told reporters.
Watch here:
Shooter was a female armed with multiple guns, police say
The shooter who opened fire at Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, was a female, according to police.
Don Aaron of the Metro Nashville Police Department said in a news conference Monday that the shooter “appears to be in her teens,” but her identification has “not been confirmed.”
Police later identified the shooter as a 28-year-old Nashville woman.
Aaron said that officers arriving to the scene encountered “a female who was firing.”
Two responding officers opened fire on the shooter and she was fatally shot, Aaron said.
She was armed with at least two “assault-type” rifles and a handgun, Aaron added.
Officers confronted shooter on the second floor of the building, police say
Don Aaron, spokesperson for the Metro Nashville Police Department, said police arrived quickly to a call of an active shooter at the Covenant School Monday.
Aaron, speaking at a news conference a few hours after the shooting, said the first calls came in at around 10:15 a.m. local time.
When officers arrived, they went through the first level of the building first, he said.
They then heard gunshots coming from the second level of the building, according to Aaron. He said that’s where police encountered the shooter, who he described as a female teenager.
Officers shot the shooter, Aaron said.
NOW: Officials give update on Covenant School shooting in Nashville
The Nashville Metro Police are giving an update on the shooting at the Covenant School.
Police said in a tweet earlier Monday that the shooter is dead.
At least 3 children killed in Nashville school shooting, hospital tells CNN affiliates
From CNN’s Jennifer HendersonAt least three students are dead from gunshot wounds suffered at the Covenant School in Nashville, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt tellsCNN affiliates,WTVF,WZTV.
All three of the students were pronounced dead after arrival at the hospital.
Metropolitan Nashville Police Department confirmed the shooter was dead earlier.
Tennessee governor monitoring response to shooting at Nashville school
From CNN staffTennessee Gov. Bill Lee is monitoring the situation at the Covenant School in Nashville after an active shooting killed at least three children Monday.
The governor said in a tweet that the Tennessee Department of Safety and the Tennessee Highway Patrol are both assisting other agencies on the scene. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation also said it is helping.
The school teaches kids from preschool through 6th grade, according to its website.
See the governor’s tweet:
Tennessee Bureau of Investigations and other personnel are responding to the Nashville shooting
From CNN's Jennifer Henderson and Chris Boyette![Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (31) Multiple killed in Nashville school shooting: Live Updates | CNN (31)](https://i0.wp.com/media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/42f02761-8875-4d40-bb0a-9f65679f87de.jpg?q=h_1850,w_2776,x_0,y_0/w_1280)
Police work near the scene of a shooting in Nashville on Monday.
Special agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and other personnel are responding to the Covenant School shooting in Green Hills at the request of District Attorney General Glenn Funk, according to a tweet from the agency.
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department indicated there isn’t a current threat to public safety, the tweet added.Authorities have confirmed that the shooter is dead.
The Covenant School in Nashville teaches students in preschool through 6th grade
From CNN's Eric LevensonandJennifer HendersonThe Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, where police say there was an active shooting incident Monday, teaches preschool through 6th grade.
The Covenant School is a private Christian school founded in 2001 as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church. It has an average enrollment of about 200 people in recent years,according to its website.
The Nashville Fire Department said there were “multiple patients” in the shooting and the gunman is dead, officials said.
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Multiple people hurt after active shooter incident in Nashville, fire department says
From CNN’s Jennifer Henderson and Michelle WatsonThe Nashville Fire Departmentsaid that multiple people are hurt after “an active aggressor” at Covenant School, it said in a tweet.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division alsotweetedthat special agents are responding to assist the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department with the active shooter incident.
Active shooter dead at Covenant School in Nashville
From CNN’s Jennifer HendersonThe Metro Nashville Police Departmenttweetedit engaged with an active shooter at Covenant School, Covenant Presbyterian Church, on Burton Hills Drive and the shooter is dead.
Student reunification with parents is at Woodmont Baptist Church, 2100 Woodmont Blvd.
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