Two officers from the police force shot and killed the shooter at Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday.
John Drake, Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief, stated that Officer Rex Englebert and Officer Michael Collazo fired on Audrey Elizabeth Hale (28), and “fatally injured her.” The shooting ended with six victims, including three children.
Officer Englebert is a veteran of the MNPD for four years and Officer Collazo is a nine-year MNPD vet.
A statement from the Nashville Police reads:
According to the police chief, Hale fired at the officers who were arriving at the scene from windows on the second floor before they swept the building and found her in a common room.
“A 911 call regarding shots being fired into the building was received by 10:13 AM. Officers raced to clear the scene. Hale was seen firing shots from the second floor. Chief Drake said that Hale had been shooting through the window at approaching police cars.
Responding officers arrived on the scene within 15 minutes of Hale’s initial shots having been fired.
The victims were identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, William Kinney, and Hallie Scruggs, all age nine, as well as Mike Hill, 61, Cynthia Peak, 61, and Katherine Koonce, 60.
According to police, Hale arrived at the school in her Honda Fit, heavily armed, with three guns. She also had two AR-style weapons and a pistol.
MNPD released surveillance footage showing Hale entering the school/church via a set of glass doors at the side entrance.
The MNPD found writings in a nearby vehicle with that Hale was associated. This proved that the attack was planned and deliberate.
Police stated that additional evidence was also taken by officers at Hale’s Brightwood Avenue home.
Investigations into the shooting are ongoing. The shooting was led by several MNPD elements with support from both the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.