NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The town is mourning the lack of three youngsters and three adults who have been fatally shot Monday at a small, Christian elementary faculty.
The suspect, recognized by police as a 28-year-old former pupil, entered the non-public Covenant College by a facet door Monday morning and opened hearth. Inside 14 minutes, a crew of 5 officers adopted the sounds of gunfire to a second-floor foyer the place they fatally shot the suspect.
All victims have been affiliated with the Covenant College, positioned within the Inexperienced Hills neighborhood south of downtown Nashville. The Covenant College has about 200 college students from preschool by sixth grade, in addition to roughly 50 employees members, in line with its web site.
The tragic incident is the nation’s 89th capturing in a Ok-12 faculty this yr, in line with the Ok-12 College Capturing Database. Final yr, a college capturing in Uvalde, Texas, left 21 useless.
“In a tragic morning, Nashville joined the dreaded, lengthy checklist of communities to expertise a college capturing,” mentioned Nashville Mayor John Cooper. “My coronary heart goes out to the households of the victims. Our whole metropolis stands with you.”
The neighborhood hosted a number of vigils Monday night time the place a whole bunch gathered to grieve and pray for the victims. A citywide vigil was additionally deliberate for Wednesday.
Here is what we all know to date in regards to the capturing victims.
Evelyn Dieckhaus, 9
Evelyn Dieckhaus was a pupil at The Covenant College.
Neighborhood members gathered on the Woodmont Christian Church on Monday night time the place senior minister Clay Stauffer shared by tears and a shaky voice, a narrative of Dieckhaus.
Dieckhaus was a 3rd grader on the Covenant College and her sister, a fifth grader, is a member of the disciples class on the church. Evelyn’s sister cried as she mentioned, “I don’t wish to be an solely baby.”
The Dieckhaus household issued a press release on Tuesday saying their hearts are “fully damaged.”
“We can not imagine this has occurred,” the assertion learn. “Evelyn was a shining gentle on this world. We admire all of the love and assist however ask for house as we grieve.”
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Hallie Scruggs, 9
Hallie Scruggs was a pupil at The Covenant College.
Hallie was the daughter of Chad Scruggs, who’s the lead pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church, in line with a press release from his former church in Dallas.
“We love the Scruggs household and mourn with them over their treasured daughter Hallie,” Mark Davis, senior pastor at Park Cities Presbyterian Church, mentioned in a press release. “Collectively, we belief within the energy of Christ to attract close to and provides us the consolation and hope we desperately want.”
The Park Cities Presbyterian Church held a service on Tuesday to mourn and pray for the victims.
William Kinney, 9
Covenant College pupil William Kinney was “fast to snort” with an “unflappable spirit” and a mild, “unfailingly type” spirit, Rachael Freitas mentioned on a verified GoFundMe revealed Tuesday.
Freitas, a buddy of the Kinney household, arrange the GoFundMe to boost funeral bills and to purchase “the household time to grieve in the best way they should with out monetary urgency.”
“Our associates are strolling by the unimaginable…shedding their son on the Covenant College capturing,” Freitas mentioned. “He liked his sisters, adored his dad and mom, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and was all the time excited to host associates of all ages. Candy Will knew no strangers, and our hearts our damaged for his household as they attempt to discover their method ahead.”
“Please think about giving to this very, very particular household. And please keep in mind them in your prayers,” Freitas added.
Katherine Koonce, 60
Dr. Katherine Koonce was the pinnacle of faculty at The Covenant College and was an educator for greater than 30 years. Nashville police strongly urged that Koonce confronted the shooter in a college hallway earlier than she was killed.
“There was a possible confrontation — you may inform by the best way she was laying,” Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake mentioned Tuesday.
Pals described Koonce as sensible, loving, and a uncommon feminine chief inside a male-led non secular tradition.
“If there was any hassle in that college, she would run to it, not from it,” mentioned Koonce’s buddy Jackie Bailey. “She was making an attempt to guard these youngsters … That’s simply what I imagine.”
Earlier than Koonce turned the pinnacle of Covenant, Anna Caudill, a former artwork trainer, labored together with her for nearly a decade at Christ Presbyterian Academy, one other Christian faculty within the space.
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Caudill mentioned Koonce excelled at her day job whereas additionally being a father or mother, pursuing her masters after which her Ph.D., and writing a ebook.
“She was an absolute dynamo and one of many smartest ladies I’ll ever know,” Caudill mentioned.
Caudill, who grew up in a number of male-led Christian denominations, mentioned Koonce was the primary girl in such a setting to encourage her to continue learning and pursuing her life objectives.
She added that Koonce liked her job at Covenant and he or she was liked by college students and their households.
“She wasn’t Marvel Girl, however I by no means noticed the 2 in the identical place,” Caudill mentioned.
Cynthia Peak, 61
Authorities recognized Cynthia Peak instead trainer who was working at The Covenant College. Pals described Peak as a loving buddy and pure trainer.
Chuck Owen, who grew up with Peak in Leesville, Louisiana, mentioned she was a lifelong buddy. Peak was “a candy individual from a candy household,” Owen informed The Related Press.
Peak was additionally a religious Christian.
“She informed me that she received saved in school and that God’s love modified her life,” Owen mentioned, including it was acceptable that she was instructing at a Christian faculty.
Nashville songwriter and singer Natalie Hemby shared a photograph of Peak with Hemby’s mom on Instagram, calling Peak “a pure trainer.”
“Grateful she taught me how one can swim. Maintain my head above water… which is what we’re all making an attempt to do proper now,” Hemby mentioned. “And subsequent time you leap in a pool on a stupendous summer time day, and end up floating and searching on the sky, please consider my buddy, Cindy Peak.”
Based on Hemby, Peak was married with three youngsters.
Peak’s household issued a press release saying their “hearts are damaged,” and referred to as Peak “a pillar of the neighborhood, and a trainer beloved by all her college students.”
“She by no means wavered in her religion and we all know she is wrapped within the arms of Jesus,” the assertion mentioned.
Mike Hill, 61
Mike Hill, one of many three grownup victims of the capturing, was The Covenant College’s beloved custodian who had been employed on the faculty for over a decade.
Hill’s household issued a press release saying, “We pray for the Covenant College and are so grateful that Michael was beloved by the school and college students who crammed him with pleasure for 14 years. He was a father of seven youngsters … and 14 grandchildren. He favored to prepare dinner and spend time with household.”
Pastor Tim Dunavant, of the Hartsville First United Methodist Church, mentioned that he employed Hill to work at Covenant greater than a decade in the past when he ran the kitchen for the church and college.
Dunavant mentioned he believed Hill would have died defending the youngsters.
“I don’t know the small print but. However I’ve a sense, when all of it comes out, Mike’s sacrifice saved lives,” Dunavant mentioned on Fb. “I’ve nothing factual to base that upon. I simply know what sort of man he was. And I do know he’s the type of man that may try this.”
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Contributing: The Related Press