2023 –March 27, School Shooting, Covenant Church elementary school, Nashville, TN– 6

–7 The Tennessean. “Nashville school shooting: Seven fatally shot at Covenant School…” 3-30-2023.
–6 ABC 7, NYC. “Alleged Nashville shooter planned attack for months, fired 152 rounds.” 4-4-2023.
–6 The Tennessean. “Covenant School employee said staff members carried guns.” 3-30-2023.
–6 The Tennessean. “Victims of Covenant School shooting include daughter of pastor…” 3-30-2023.

Narrative Information

March 30, The Tennessean: “Three adults and three children are confirmed dead following a mass shooting Monday morning at The Covenant School, a private Christian school in Nashville. The suspect was killed in an altercation with police.

“Don Aaron, a spokesperson for the Metro Nashville Police Department, originally said a 28-year-old female suspect was believed to have entered a side entrance with two assault rifles and a handgun. Police later identified the shooter by his name at birth, Audrey Hale, and did not provide another name. He was a transgender man who used male pronouns….

“The suspect was fatally shot by two of five-member police team around 10:27 a.m. in a second floor lobby.

(The Tennessean (Chris Gadd, et al.), Nashville “Nashville school shooting: Seven fatally shot at Covenant School, including 28-year-old suspect.” 3-27-2023, updated 3-30-2023.)

March 30, The Tennessean: “The Green Hills community is mourning the loss of three children and three adults who were fatally shot Monday at The Covenant School.

“The suspect, identified by police as a 28-year-old former student, entered the school through a side door Monday morning and opened fire. Within 14 minutes, a team of five officers followed sounds of gunfire to a second floor lobby where they fatally shot the suspect.

“The tragic incident marked America’s 129th mass shooting of 2023, according to Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit which tracks gun violence data.

“Here’s what we know so far about the shooting victims…

“Evelyn Dieckhaus, 9. Evelyn Dieckhaus was a student at The Covenant School… She was a third grader at Covenant School….

“Hallie Scruggs, 9. Hallie Scruggs was a student at the Covenant School. Hallie was the daughter of Chad Scruggs, who is the lead pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church….

“William Kinney, 9.
….
“Katherine Koonce, 60. Dr. Katherine Koonce, the head of school at The Covenant School, was an educator for more than 30 years. Metro Police strongly suggested that Koonce confronted the shooter in a school hallway before she was killed….

“Cynthia Peak, 61. Authorities identified Cynthia Peak as a substitute teacher who was working at The Covenant School.
….
“Mike Hill, 61. Mike Hill, one of the three adult victims of the shooting, was The Covenant School’s beloved custodian who had been employed at the school for over a decade….” (The Tennessean (Amber Roberson). “Victims of Covenant School shooting include daughter of pastor, head of school.” 3-27-2023, updated 3-30-2023.)

March 30, The Tennessean: “A person hiding under a desk during the shooting at the Covenant School told the 911 dispatcher that one or two staff members carry guns. At 10:12:05 a.m. Monday, a woman calling from the office of the nursery said, “We do have a school person, or two … I’m not sure … who would be packing, whose job it is for security. We don’t have security guards, but we have staff.” She did not name who typically carried weapons, and it is not clear whether those staff members were at the school at the time of the shooting….” (The Tennessean. “Covenant School employee said staff members carried guns.” 3-30-2023.)

April 4, ABC 7, NYC: “Nashville — The suspect who allegedly shot and killed six people at a private Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee, last week had been planning for “months to commit mass murder at The Covenant School,” police said, citing the suspect’s journals. The suspect… fired 152 rounds during the March 27 mass shooting, Nashville police said in a statement Monday [3rd].

“Hale was armed with two assault-style rifles, a handgun and “significant ammunition” at the time of the attack, according to police. Authorities said Hale owned seven legally purchased guns from five different local stores. The seven guns that were confiscated by the authorities were purchased between Oct. 30, 2020 and June 6, 2022, a law enforcement official told ABC News. The last weapon purchased was an AR-15 style weapon, according to the official.

“Hale was shot and killed by police inside the school. The two officers who shot at Hale discharged four rounds each, according to police.

“A motive remains unknown, but authorities determined that “Hale considered the actions of other mass murderers,” police said. Hale had a detailed map of the school as well as “writings and a book we consider to be like a manifesto,” Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake told ABC News last week….

“A police spokesperson said Hale was assigned female at birth but pointed to a social media account linked to Hale that included the use of the pronouns he/him.” (ABC 7, NYC. “Alleged Nashville shooter planned attack for months, fired 152 rounds.” 4-4-2023.)

April 7: “Nashville, Tenn. (WTVF) — There are exclusive new details about the so-called manifesto left by The Covenant School shooter. Authorities have yet to release what was written publicly. But TBI [TN Bureau of Investigation] director David Rausch did talk candidly about the contents of the manifesto at a Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association meeting. Rausch said what police found isn’t so much a manifesto spelling out a target but a series of rambling writings indicating no clear motive….

“….Investigators searched the Nashville home of the Covenant School shooter leaving with among other things — a number or handwritten journals, some videos and computer hard drives. Rausch told sheriffs that the review so far of the material finds that the killer did not write about specific political, religious or social issues. In fact, a primary focus in the journals is on idolizing those who committed prior school shootings. She appears to have followed their lead planning for months and acted alone….” (News Channel 5, Nashville, TN. “TBI director shares new details on The Covenant School shooter’s manifesto.” 4-7-2023.)

Sources

ABC 7, NYC. “Alleged Nashville shooter planned attack for months, fired 152 rounds.” 4-4-2023. Accessed 4-5-2023 at: https://abc7ny.com/nashville-shooting-tn-tennessee-shooter/13083956/

News Channel 5, Nashville, TN. “TBI director shares new details on The Covenant School shooter’s manifesto.” 4-7-2023. Accessed 4-17-2023 at: https://www.newschannel5.com/news/tbi-director-shares-new-details-on-the-covenant-school-shooters-manifesto

The Tennessean (Keith Sharon), Nashville. “Covenant School employee said staff members carried guns.” 3-30-2023. Accessed 3-30-2023: https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2023/03/30/nashville-shooting-school-employee-said-staff-members-carried-guns/70066418007/

The Tennessean (Chris Gadd, et al.), Nashville “Nashville school shooting: Seven fatally shot at Covenant School, including 28-year-old suspect.” 3-27-2023, updated 3-30-2023. Accessed 3-30-2023 at: https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2023/03/27/covenant-school-nashville-shooting-green-hills/70052363007/

The Tennessean (Amber Roberson), Nashville. “Victims of Covenant School shooting include daughter of pastor, head of school.” 3-27-2023, updated 3-30-2023. Accessed 3-30-2023 at: https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2023/03/27/who-are-the-nashville-school-shooting-victims-covenant-presbyterian/70053940007/