Shooter ID’d in Nashville private school shooting
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Nashville Metro Police Department has released several new details regarding a shooting at a private Christian school.
This photo provided by the Metro Nashville Police Department shows officers at an active shooter event that took place at Covenant School, Covenant Presbyterian Church, in Nashville, Tenn. Monday, March 27, 2023. Authorities say the suspect in a shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville is dead. (Metro Nashville Police Department via AP)
The shooting took place Monday at Covenant School, Covenant Presbyterian Church, taking the lives of three nine-year-old students and three adults.
- Evelyn Dieckhaus, 9
- Hallie Scruggs, 9
- William Kinney, 9,
- Cynthia Peak, 61
- Katherine Koonce, 60
- Mike Hill, 61
According to Nashville Police Chief John Drake, the shooter has been identified as Audrey Elizabeth Hale, 28, of Nashville.
An official at the conference says the shooter was killed by officers on the second level of the building. Officials say the shooter entered on the first floor.
Drake addressed what weapons were used.
“So we know there were two AR-style weapons, one a rifle, the other was a AR-style pistol, and the other was a handgun,” he said. “We believe two of those may have been obtained legally, locally here.”
“Our investigations tell us that she was a former student at the school,” the Nashville police chief during a news conference.
Drake confirmed that Hale was transgender with no criminal history during the news conference as well.
A manifesto was also left behind and is being reviewed by law enforcement. Investigators also found a map.
“We have a manifesto, we have some writings that we are going over that pertain to this date. But actual incident, we have a map drawn out of how this was all going to take place. There is, right now, a theory that we may be able to talk about later,” Drake said.
Drake says this was a targeted attack, and that another location was mentioned by the shooter, but was not acted on due to security at that location.
The chief added that they have video from the shooting that they plan to release later on.
The shooter lived with parents, according to Drake.
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