Tennesse School Shooting

On March 27, 2023, a Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee was victim to a shooting, leaving three adults and three kids dead. The shooter, later identified as Audrey Hale, shot through doors, classrooms, and bathrooms for 14 minutes before he was ultimately taken down by police. This is one of Tennessee’s deadliest shootings, as Audrey Hale shot 152 rounds of bullets. According to CNN, “Investigators with the police department and the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit continue to review writings left behind by Hale, which police said Monday contain documentation of Hale’s planning. It is known that Hale considered the actions of other mass murderers.” It was discovered later that Hale was carrying three firearms, gaining access into the school by shooting through the glass doors of the building. According to NBC, after getting a search warrant to enter Hale’s home, “Nashville police said investigators found two more firearms, described as shotguns, at the residence.” At this time, no motive was found, however, according to The Tennessean, “Hale had been under a doctor’s care for what police would later call an undisclosed “emotional disorder.”

Before the incident, according to News Channel 5, “Audrey had shared with others that he had been suicidal in the past.” Unaware of the situation, his parents were concerned when they saw him leave the house with a red bag with him. After arriving at the school at 9:53, he said his final goodbyes to his friend. He killed six people, later identified as 9-year-old Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, William Kinney, 61-year-old Cynthia Peak, Mike Hill, and finally, 60-year-old Katherine Koonce. Fourteen minutes later, Hale was shot and killed by two officers, Officer Michael Collazo, and Officer Rex Engelbert. They were both commended for their actions of taking down Hale. The school has since created a memorial dedicated to the six, which consists of a picture of each victim with many flowers, balloons, and teddy bears surrounding the memorial.