Tragedy in Nashville: Shooting at Christian School Leaves 6 Dead, Including 3 Children

On Monday, tragedy struck a Christian school in Nashville as three children and three adults were killed in a shooting. According to authorities, the shooter was a white 28-year-old individual from the Nashville area who was later shot dead by two officers. Initially, the shooter was identified as a woman, but a spokesperson later clarified that the shooter was assigned female at birth and used he/him pronouns.

The shooting took place at The Covenant School, and all three children who lost their lives were students while the three adults were staff members. Among the deceased were Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, William Kinney, Cynthia Peak, Katherine Koonce, and Mike Hill. Koonce was the head of the school.

The first call regarding the shooting was made at 10:13 a.m., and according to Don Aaron, a spokesperson for the Nashville police, the shooter entered the school through a side entrance and fired multiple shots as he made his way from the first floor to the second floor. The shooter had two assault-style rifles and one pistol, and the shooting occurred in a lobby-type area in an upper part of the school. The shooter was dead by 10:27 a.m.

Police have not released any information regarding the shooter’s motive, although they have confirmed that the shooter was a former student of the school. Police Chief John Drake stated that the shooter had multiple rounds of ammunition and was “prepared for a confrontation with law enforcement.” He added that the shooter had maps drawn of the school and its entry points.

Drake confirmed that parents of the children who were killed have been notified, and at least five of the victims were transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Sadly, three children and two adults who were taken to the hospital died from their injuries.

The Covenant School is a private school associated with the Covenant Presbyterian Church, serving students from preschool through sixth grade. On a regular day, there would be around 209 students and 42 staff members present at the school, according to Aaron.

The Nashville community has been shaken by this tragic event, and a reunification center for parents and students was set up nearby with mental health specialists available to offer support. The police have not provided any further information about the shooter’s background or motive.