A heavily‑armed 28‑year‑old woman killed three children and three staff members at the Christian Covenant School, a private elementary school in Nashville, on Monday. Armed with at least two assault rifles and a handgun, she entered the building through a side door and opened fire, Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said at a press conference. Police believe the shooter was a former student. She fired multiple rounds as she moved through the school, and officers arrived about 15 minutes after the first emergency call at 10:00 a.m. (1500 GMT). The officers engaged the shooter, who returned fire before being shot dead.
The Covenant School, a Presbyterian institution with just over 200 students ranging from preschool to about age 12, lost six lives—three students and three adults—among a staff of 40 to 50. No other injuries were reported. Remaining students were escorted out of the building with the help of faculty and staff, according to Kendra Loney of the Nashville fire department. Mental‑health specialists were deployed to the reunification site to support students and families who witnessed the chaos.
President Joe Biden called the shooting “sick” and said gun violence is tearing the nation’s “soul,” urging Congress to reinstate a ban on assault weapons commonly used in mass shootings. At the White House, Press Secretary Karine Jean‑Pierre asked Republicans what they were waiting for to “step up and act to pass the assault weapons ban.” Biden’s appeal to revive the national assault‑rifle ban that existed from 1994 to 2004 faces opposition from Republicans, who defend the constitutional right to bear arms and have held a narrow majority in the House since January. The legislative deadlock persists despite public outcry after high‑profile massacres such as Sandy Hook (2012), Parkland (2018), Uvalde (2022) and the recent Nashville attack. While massive demonstrations have called for stricter gun controls, Congress has yet to pass significant new legislation, in part due to the influence of the National Rifle Association.
Tennessee officials expressed their shock on social media. Senator Bill Hagerty tweeted that he was “devastated and heartbroken” about the tragedy at Covenant School and thanked law‑enforcement and first responders for their heroic actions. Senator Marsha Blackburn also thanked first responders and offered prayers for those affected.
In 2023, the United States recorded 38,000 deaths by gunfire—excluding suicides—and, according to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 129 mass shootings this year, defined as incidents in which four or more people were shot or killed.
Comments are closed for this story.