Local Reactions to Nashville Shooting
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Many are still mourning the loss of six people yesterday in a mass shooting in Nashville.
Three of the victims were just nine years old.
Nashville Police released surveillance and bodycam videos that they say shows 28-year-old Audrey Hale intruding the school, where they say she killed three employees and three students in the span of 15 minutes.
Hale was killed by police officers after a brief confrontation.
There are local connections to the Covenant School.
Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp said, “It’s the worst nightmare for parents like us… We have friends whose kids go to school there, and both boys were fortunate to have been in those classrooms near the fire hall.”
Several local private schools have sent messages of support to the Covenant School such as Boyd-Buchanan and St. Jude’s School.
Boyd-Buchanan School’s social media post giving prayers for the victims of Covenant School shooting.
Some parent groups have reached out to News 12 and said they are planning prayer vigils for later in the week.
This incident has some asking if private schools are taking enough safety steps.
Mayor Wamp said, “From an emergency management standpoint, we’re aware of the facilities and even the architectural structures of all places of education, not just public schools. But this is a wakeup call for private schools.”
Nashville Police said today that Hale’s manifesto indicated she was going to attack other targets.
Nashville Police Chief John Drake said, “There’s quite a bit of writing to it. I have not read the entire manifesto. Our team and the FBI have been working on this.”
Mayor Wamp wanted to get across that whatever was in that manifesto, people should try to avoid political extremism.
He said, “That’s the wholesale rejection everybody from the far left to far right should bring forth in the days to come. No matter what you believe, no matter what your religion or political beliefs are, violence in this country is never the solution.”
There is no word of any local changes to school policies or gun laws so far due to the incident.
