Tragedy struck the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday, March 27th, as a former student opened fire at the Christian elementary school, killing six people. Three children and three adults lost their lives in the horrific incident that left the entire community in shock and mourning.
The shooter, identified as 28-year-old Audrey Elizabeth Hale, had reportedly drawn a detailed map of the school and conducted surveillance of the building before carrying out the attack. Hale had carefully planned the shooting, including potential entry points, and had even gone as far as to draw a detailed map of the school.
The incident marked the deadliest mass shooting in state history,
left three children and three adults dead, in addition to the shooter, who was later identified as 28-year-old Nashville resident Audrey Elizabeth Hale.
According to police, officers from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department responded to the scene and engaged in a confrontation with Hale. They ultimately shot and killed the former student, who had fired through the doors of the private Christian school.
However, police have given unclear information on Hale’s gender, leading to confusion surrounding the shooter’s identity. For hours after the shooting, authorities identified the shooter as a woman. Still, during a late afternoon press conference, the police chief stated that Hale was transgender, leaving many questions unanswered.
The entire community is now grappling with the devastating loss of life and coming to terms with the horrific events that unfolded on Monday. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee issued a statement expressing his condolences and promising to provide resources to support the victims and their families.
The Covenant School has also released a statement expressing their grief and sadness at the tragic loss of life. The school stated that they are working closely with law enforcement to understand the events leading up to the shooting and ensure that their students, staff, and families receive the support they need during this difficult time.
As the investigation into this tragic incident continues, the community of Nashville is coming together to support each other and mourn the loss of six innocent lives.
The incident occurred almost two years after Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed into law legislation allowing most adults to carry a handgun without a permit, an effort that was at the top of the Republican’s legislative agenda for the year.
The law allows people 21 and older, along with members of the military ages 18 to 20, to carry handguns openly or concealed without a permit. Tennessee was the 19th state to abandon common sense restrictions on deadly firearms.
The Lee administration estimated the legislation will cost the state as much as $20 million annually but officials did not calculate the death toll or injuries that were expected to result.
The bill was backed by the National Rifle Association but opposed by the state’s leading law enforcement groups, which argued the change could increase crime and officer vulnerability in anticipation of events like the Covenant School shooting.
Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republican leaders abolished some gun restrictions that resulted in a number of mass shootings, most notably a permitless carry bill like the one adopted in Tennessee.
Police released two videos of yesterday’s Covenant School shooting — one showing Audrey Hale entering the building and a second set of edited, compiled body camera footage of when police confronted the shooter.
Hale killed six people, including three children. The edited video marks the public’s first look at Hale, 28, who killed three children and three adults during America’s latest mass shooting.
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