It's ripping our communities apart, ripping the soul of this nation.". But Peak never arrived home on Monday. "I've left behind more than enough evidence behind. The shooter, identified as former student Audrey Hale, acted totally alone, Metro Nashville Police said in the Monday update. 2:59 PM EDT, Mon April 3, 2023. President Joe Biden referred to the shooting as a "sick'' act and reiterated his call for Congress to ban assault weapons. They heard shots coming from the second level; they immediately went to the gunfire. ", In a Twitter statement, Tennessee Gov. "I doubt that there's anyone you can talk to who would even be able to answer why. Tennessee moves to protect gunmakers from mass shooting lawsuits You can only explain what you know. As he ascends the stairs to the second floor, an officer ahead of him looks left out. Hardcastle struggled to reconcile the kind teenager she knew a decade ago as the same person who fatally shot three 9-year-olds, a school administrator, a custodian and a substitute teacher Monday. Nashville police ID students, all 9 years old, and adults killed in Were investigating all the leads and, once we know exactly, well let you know., In an interview with NBC News, Drake said investigators believe Hale had some resentment for having to go to that school., 'AREN'T YOU GUYS TIRED OF THIS? The attack was the nation's 130th mass shooting of 2023, according toGun Violence Archive, a nonprofit that tracks gun violence data. Hallie Scruggs was a student at the Covenant School. We have to do more to protect our schools so they aren't turned into prisons. Bill Lee and Nashville Mayor John Cooper about the shooting. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A former student shot through the doors of a Christian elementary school Monday and killed three children and three adults after elaborately planning the massacre by drawing out a detailed map and conducting surveillance of the building, police said. Policing experts said its essential that officials are mindful of what they tell the public, especially since an investigation is so fluid. "At Metro Schools, we have invested considerable resources to strengthen security at our facilities in response to the far too many, far too often instances of school shootings across the nation over the years.". The assault also marks the 89th shooting on K-12 school grounds in 2023 an average of one every day according to theK-12 School Shooting Database. "I have literally mind-blowing moments like, 'What in the world? Thats the way we do that in the south. "I have a feeling, when it all comes out, Mikes sacrifice saved lives," Dunavant wrote in a Facebook post. The Covenant school has about 209 students from pre-school through sixth grade and 42 staff members, Aaron said. He added: Now I know therell be people who want to criticise us for prayers. But Rosanne Cash, daughter of the late Nashville country music star Johnny Cash and a singer-songwriter in her own right, responded by criticizing Blackburn's ties to the National Rifle Association (NRA) gun lobby. "Drake said two of the weapons were legally purchased in the Nashville area but did not specify which ones. It is known that Hale considered the actions of other mass murderers, the release said. April 19, 2023 / 10:02 AM / CBS/AP. Folks just need to be patient., He added that he has concerns about releasing the writings out of fear that someone else with a mental illness picks it up and uses it as a plan. Without referencing Uvalde, Drake made it clear standing around for more than an hour in an active-shooter situation was not an option. Nashville police wouldnt confirm the contents of the journal writings, and a department spokeswoman said they remain under review and the motive is yet to be determined.. But somehow tomorrow the only thing we will agree on is the traffic. "Our high school was really accepting of that.". The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. "What happened at Covenant School was a tragedy beyond comprehension," Tennessee Gov. "As it turns out, she had been hiding several weapons within the house,'' Drake said, adding that law enforcement was not aware of Hale before the shooting. Officials have not said when they might release the contents of several journals recovered in Hales family home after the attack, in which six people, including three young children, were gunned down. Just before the shooting at The Covenant School, Patton got a message from Hale, who warned that something bad was about to happen. We have to do more to protect our schools so they aren't turned into prisons. More than two weeks after a mass shooting at a Nashville Christian school, investigators have not yet identified a clear motive in the attackers journal writings, and authorities have not provided any details publicly to back up their early suggestion that the shooter may have felt resentment toward the school. We dont know if gender identity played a part, but theres a conversation to be had that speaks to societys continual rejection and conflict over ones identity that can lead to this disconnect and frustration, Dunton said. The video ends with the confrontation in an upstairs lobby area, when several shots were fired at the attacker, who fell amid shouts of "Stop moving," "Suspect down," and, "Get your hand away from the gun.". Police later released a school video showing the assailant blasting through glass doors with gunfire and roaming the halls, pointing a semi-automatic rifle. "What happened at Covenant School was a tragedy beyond comprehension," Gov. They huddled together in groups with bowed heads and joined together in prayer. Is the clue in her writings and ramblings how to stop it? Nashville shooting updates: Officers Rex Engelbert, Michael Collazo speak My moms brother Lord help me and my family please pray for all my cousins.. Officers shot and killed the attacker at the Covenant school, which is attached to the Covenant Presbyterian church in the Tennessee state capital. IE 11 is not supported. 2023 Nashville school shooting - Wikipedia Drake later said one of the children was 8 and about to turn 9 but did not specify who. Here's what we know about the Nashville shooting and those who died: How the shooting unfolded Authorities say they received the first call of an active shooter at the Covenant School at. Nashville police said investigators found two more firearms, described as shotguns, at the residence. (Metro Nashville Police Department) Law enforcement officers lead children away from the scene of a shooting at The. 6 Killed in Nashville School Shooting, Including 3 Children Metro Nashville Police Department released body camera video showing officers arriving at The Covenant School where six were killed. The shooter was killed by responding officers, police said. The shooter wore a black vest over a white T-shirt, camouflage pants and a backwards red baseball cap. Police quickly worked through the first floor clearing classrooms and encouraging each other to move faster. After the talk, they left the school. The attacker in Monday's shooting purchased seven firearms legally and was under medical care for an unspecified "emotional disorder,''Drake said at a Tuesday news briefing. The sixth victim was not taken to the hospital, police spokesman Don Aaron said. First lady Jill Biden joins vigil; officers Engelbert, Collazo seen in body cam video hailed as heroes: Nashville shooting updates. The shooting was just the latest such horrific event. But maybe theres something for the general public to understand behavioral-wise why they did this.. Bill Lee said he was "closely monitoring the tragic situation. "I am truly without words and our children deserve better," she said. Erik Ortiz is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital focusing on racial injustice and social inequality. Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionals, Reporting by Kevin Wurm in Nashville; Additional reporting by Kanishka Singh, Tyler Clifford, Rich McKay, Brad Brooks, Joseph Ax and Brendan O'Brien; Writing by Jonathan Allen and Steve Gorman; Editing by Sandra Maler and Stephen Coates, Texas man accused of killing five neighbors was deported four times, US may default June 1 without debt ceiling hike; Biden calls McCarthy to meet, Biden urges Republicans take debt default off table, warns interest rates would jump, American Airlines pilots authorize a strike mandate, Brazil police shoot dead 4 illegal gold miners on Yanomami reservation, Sudanese fleeing north face arduous crossing into Egypt, Kuwait again dissolves reinstated parliament by decree, British royals release photo of a beaming Princess Charlotte, Israeli attack puts Syria's Aleppo airport out of service, one soldier killed -state media. The Nashville school shooter fell into an emotional spiral after the recent death of a close friend, ex-classmate says Friends of Audrey Hale, 28, still can't grasp how the "loving" teenager they. "In this moment, we remember that we are one Nashville, regardless of our school affiliation.". The video then shows Hale walking in hallways and aiming an assault rifle before the video cuts off. The Tuesday night prayer vigil in Mt. Hannah McDonald, a reporter for News Channel 5, told viewers her mother-in-law worked at the school but was on a break when the shooting happened. Nashville school shooting: 6 killed including 3 students - Fox News As Englebert moved to the second floor, eight gunshots can be heard down the hallway. There have been 89 school shootings defined as any incident in which a gun is discharged on school property in the U.S. in 2023, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database, a website founded by researcher David Riedman. 0:00. ", First lady Jill Biden commented on the attackduring heropening remarks at a National League of Cities event in Washington. He praised the quickness of the police response. Jeff Syracuse, a Nashville councilman who chairs the public health and safety committee, said he has questioned some of the conflicting reports surrounding the investigation. Jozen Reodica heard the police sirens and fire trucks blaring from outside her office building nearby. Drake said that Hale suffered from some type of emotional disorder although it is unknown exactly what. Nothing in the brief encounter at Patton's show gave Hardcastle any belief something was going to go horrifically wrong. No, definitely not. Drake said: I was literally moved to tears to see this and the kids as they were being ushered out of the building. Police later released security footage of the shooter firing at a glass school door to gain access before moving through the corridors, carrying what appeared to be a rifle. In Uvalde, where 19 students and two teacherswere killed, it took more than 70 minutes to end the threat. The Zion community, mirroring the Covenant community, also houses a school, Zion Christian Academy, serving over 520 students in grades Pre-K-12. "Keeping children safe is not political," she said. Nashville, TN Police Chief calls for gun reform following Covenant Audrey Hale was already in the parking lot. For some of us, these are our friends., The senior pastor lost a daughter today, he said. One woman dropped to her knees as she laid a bouquet of flowers down, burying her head in her hands and wiping tears from her eyes. Nashville shooter fired 152 rounds inside Covenant School, police say. Nashville Shooting Police Say Shooter Was Under Doctor's Care for But in this case, Dunton said, if sharing it can allay any fears and help the public come to a greater understanding of what motivated the shooter and potentially prevent another tragedy from happening, then that serves a greater purpose. A top Texas law enforcement official later said there were enough armed police officers wearing body armor to halt the shooting three minutes after it began. At this point, I think the metro police department is backing off with making any judgments or assumptions on the manifesto and leaning on TBI and the FBI, he said, adding that overall, the police have done a good job of investigating. Reacting in Washington to the latest school shooting, President Joe Biden urged the U.S. Congress again to pass tougher gun reform legislation. Floral tributes are left at a memorial outside the entrance to the Covenant School on Wednesday. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. 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. Hale is visible in the video but is partially obscured by a blurred box. Entry was gained by shooting through a door, Drake said, adding that maps had been drawn of the school, including entry points, and he said, We have a manifesto, some writings that were going over.. The ticket donations will be going to the Caring for Covenant Fund, the school announced. The shooting at the Covenant school in Nashville was the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country that has grown increasingly unnerved by bloodshed in schools. Around 9 a.m. Tuesday, a makeshift memorial was set up at the main drive that leads to Covenant School, which was otherwise blocked off by police. 2023 www.tennessean.com. And thats where she sits, and so you walk down a long exterior pathway to the front door, and then you see her smiling face in the morning there. Police also said . Officers responded "swiftly," entered the first floor and began clearing the area, he said. According to a tweet from Nashville police, the shooter had "significant ammunition. At 10:13 a.m., Hale fired the first shot inside the school. Goodbye Mike, Im going to miss those encouraging texts out of the blue from you.". Shooting at the school where my Dad, my uncle and my stepmom work please pray right now, she wrote at about noon local time. ', First lady Jill Biden also addressed the shooting, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Most of the rounds fired by Hale 126 were 5.56 rifle rounds, and 26 were 9 mm rounds, police said.