Three children and three adult staff members are dead after a mass shooting event at a private Christian school in Nashville’s Green Hills neighborhood.
The shooter, described by police as a 28-year-old Nashville woman, was shot by responding officers, according to Don Aaron, the Nashville police spokesperson. Police, who initially believed the shooter may have been a teenager, have released no further details about her.
One officer suffered a hand injury from cut glass, Aaron said. “That is the only other injury I’m aware of,” he said.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center confirmed students from the pre-K-6th grade Covenant School on Burton Hills Road were transported to Monroe Carrell Jr. Children’s Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
The Nashville Police Department responded to an active shooter incident at 10:13 a.m. At 10:27 a.m. the shooter was killed by two of a five-member police team that responded, Aaron said.
He said the shooter was armed with two assault rifles and a handgun. She entered through a side door at the school and went to the second floor, according to Aaron. Aaron said the shooting took place in a “lobby type area,” and not inside a classroom.
The private school, located in one of Nashville’s most affluent neighborhoods, had no onsite school resource officer, he said. The school did have security cameras.
“There is video from the school we are viewing now to try and learn exactly how all of this happened,” Aaron said.
The Covenant School Covenant is a small Christian elementary school operated by Covenant Presbyterian Church. There are about 209 students and 42 staff members at the school, Aaron said.
Rep. Bob Freeman, D-Nashville, issued a statement on the incident which took place in his district.
“This is an unimaginable tragedy for the victims, all the children, families, teachers, staff and my entire community,” Freeman said.
“I live around the corner from Covenant and pass by it often. I have friends who attend both church and school there. I have also visited the church in the past. It tears my heart apart to see this. I’m praying for my neighborhood, my city and my state. It is time to pull together and provide all the love and support that we can to those affected by this terrible catastrophe. It is time for serious action.”
Gov. Bill Lee said on Twitter he is monitoring the situation.
“As we continue to respond, please join us in praying for the school, congregation and Nashville community,” Lee said.
The House Republican Caucus issued a statement calling the shooting deaths “a horrific act of violence carried out by a disturbed individual.”