More weapons found at home of Nashville school shooter

1. Six people, three of them children, have been killed in a primary school shooting in Nashville
2. The student victims have been identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney, all aged 8 or 9
3. The adult victims have been identified as Cynthia Peak, 61, Katherine Koonce, 60, and Mike Hill, 61
4. The shooter was identified as 28-year-old Audrey Hale, who was killed by police, officers said
5. Police believe that Hale was a former student at the school
6. They say more weapons have been recovered from Hale's home, including a sawed-off shotgun and a second shotgun
7. The Covenant School in Nashville is a private Christian school for students aged three to 11
8. Since the shooting, President Joe Biden has renewed calls for Congress to take action on gun violence

We're pausing our live coverage

Sarah Fowler

Live reporter

REUTERS/Austin Anthony

We're pausing our live coverage of the Nashville school shooting that left six people dead, including three children aged nine and under.

It's the middle of the night in the US right now and we'll be back with the latest updates when people start waking up there. For now, you can read more details in our news story and more on the victims here.

In pictures: Vigils continued overnight in Nashville

Vigils were held overnight in Nashville for the victims of the shooting at the Covenant School - three adults and three children.

People also gathered during the night at a makeshift memorial outside the school building.

Getty Images

Getty Images

AFP

AFP

It is very, very difficult right now - Hale's mother

Norma Hale, who is the mother of the shooter identified by police as Audrey Hale, has told ABC News "it is very, very difficult right now" for her family.

"I think I lost my daughter today," she has said.

The 28-year-old was shot and killed by officers at the scene, 14 minutes after an alert was raised about the attack.

Police say Hale had no criminal record and was a former student at the school. They believe "resentment" may have been a motive, and say they are examining a manifesto left behind by Hale.

Stills from CCTV footage inside the school show Hale carrying a large gun while wearing camouflage trousers and a red cap.

'I don't want to be an only child' - sister of a young victim

Hours after the shooting took place, a memorial service for the victims was held at the Woodmont Christian Church - close to the school.

The sister of one of the children killed in Monday's shooting is a member of the church's disciple class.

Teary and with a shaky voice, senior minister Clay Stauffer said Evelyn Dieckhaus was a third grader and her sister, two years older, had plans to be baptised in a few weeks, according to local outlet the Tennessean.

Evelyn’s sister cried as she said, “I don’t want to be an only child.”

Meanwhile at least dozens attended a vigil at the Belmont United Methodist Church.

“We just wanted to respond to our community because we also have children who learn in our facility as well,” Rev. Ingrid McIntyre told local channel WKRN News 2 ahead of the event.

“Prayer is just the first step, and certainly actions will come after,” she added.

Meanwhile, Christian singer Lauren Daigle held a prayer vigil instead of a planned concert.

Reuters

At least dozens attended the vigil held at the Belmont United Methodist Church

Pictures from the scene of the shooting

Police have released some stills from the scene of the shooting, including the damage caused by bullets fired during the deadly attack on the primary school in Nashville.

Reuters

This is the Honda Fit car that police say was driven by the shooter

EPA

Some of the photos appear to show bullet hits on their cars

EPA

The shooter fired through a window at police cars arriving on the scene, Met Nashville Police say

EPA

Windows of the Covenant School in Nashville were also damaged

Police clarify remarks on shooter's gender identity

There has been some confusion about the shooter's gender identity, as disclosed by police.

The police first identified the shooter as a 28-year-old woman - Audrey Elizabeth Hale.

At a news conference later on Monday, Nashville's police chief said Hale was transgender.

A police spokesperson has since told the Washington Post that Hale "is a biological woman who, on a social media profile, used male pronouns".

A look at where things stand

If you're just joining us, it's gone 02:00 local time in Nashville, and we're continuing to bring you the latest information about a shooting that was carried out at a primary school in the city yesterday.

Here are the key details:

Victims

Six people were killed in the shooting at the Covenant School - three students and three adults. The children have been named as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney; all were aged eight or nine. The adults have been named as school head Katherine Koonce, 60, Cynthia Peak, 61, and Mike Hill, 61.

Shooter

Police have identified the shooter as 28-year-old Audrey Hale, who was shot and killed by officers during the attack. Hale, who had no criminal record, was a former student at the school and officers believe "resentment" may have been a motive.

Hale had a manifesto and had drawn a detailed map of the school, with entry points. Police are now studying those documents.

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The Covenant School is a private Christian institution for students aged three to 11

Weapons

Hale used two assault-style weapons and a handgun during the attack, according to police, with at least two of those guns being purchased legally. A search of Hale's home led to officers seizing more firearms, including a sawed-off shotgun.

Reaction

Concerned parents and residents have spoken to reporters, saying they're tired of mass shootings happening again and again in the US. One woman, who said she had survived a gun attack last summer, asked why their children are "still dying".

Since the shooting, US President Joe Biden has renewed calls for gun control legislation.

Vigils have also been held in Nashville to honour the six people who lost their lives.

Our community is heartbroken, says school

EPA

The Covenant School in Nashville has released a statement following the deaths in the primary school shooting.

"Our community is heartbroken. We are grieving tremendous loss and are in shock coming out of the terror that shattered our school and church. We are focused on loving our students, our families, our faculty and staff and beginning the process of healing," the school has said.

The statement continues by saying "law enforcement is conducting its investigation, and while we understand there is a lot of interest and there will be a lot of discussion about and speculation surrounding what happened, we will continue to prioritise the well-being of our community."

The school is a private Christian school for students aged three to 11.

The three children who were killed in the shooting were all aged eight or nine.

Police believe the suspect was a former student of the school.

Police find more guns during search of shooter's home

We reported in one of our earlier posts that, following the shooting, police in Nashville had searched an address on Brightwood Avenue - a short drive from the Covenant School.

There are some updates on that now.

In the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department's most recent statement, officers refer to the address as being Audrey Hale's, the person identified as the shooter.

They also say more weapons were recovered, in addition to the ones used in the attack, including a sawed-off shotgun and a second shotgun. Police have already distributed photographs of the two assault-style weapons and handgun they say Hale was carrying at the school.

Since the shooting yesterday, US President Joe Biden has renewed calls for gun control legislation - something he's done multiple times since taking office.

Metropolitan Nashville PD

A photograph distributed by the Metropolitan Nashville PD shows a weapon that they say was used by Hale during the shooting

WATCH: Shooting survivor asks 'how are our children still dying?'

Shooting survivor: 'Aren't you tired of covering this?'

How the 14 minute shooting unfolded

Reuters

Police have given an account of what happened, and when, during yesterday's deadly shooting at the school in Nashville:

• Police said the suspect entered the school by shooting one of the school doors - which were all locked

• The shooter moved from the first floor to the second floor of the school, firing multiple shots
• Police got the initial call about the shooting at 10:13 local time (15:13 GMT) on Monday morning
• When police arrived on the scene, they began clearing people from the area
• After hearing gunshots come from the second floor, police went upstairs and saw the shooter firing
• Police “engaged” the suspect - who was fatally shot by two of the five officers who were at the scene
• The shooter was dead by 10:27

'I don't want to be an only child'

As we've been reporting, six people - three children and three adults - were killed on Monday at a school in Nashville.

Here's what we know so far about the victims:

Katherine Koonce, 60, was the head of Covenant School, as well as a veteran teacher and author of a parenting guide.

She was described by one parent as a "saint", who "knew every single student" and worked tirelessly to help families who struggled with money.

Mike Hill, 61, was a custodian at the school. On Facebook, a woman identifying herself as his daughter said that he had "absolutely loved" working at Covenant.

Cynthia Peak, also 61, was a substitute teacher working at the school on the day of the attack, Nashville police say.

Hallie Scruggs was the daughter of Chad Scruggs, a senior pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church, church officials told CBS News.

At a church service held only hours after the shooting, a senior minister said that Evelyn Dieckhaus had been in the third grade when she died, according to the Tennessean newspaper.

Her sister, a fifth grader, cried during the service, saying: "I don't want to be an only child."

Nothing has been publicly released about the third child victim, William Kinney, beyond his name and the fact all three of the students were eight or nine years old.

You can read more about the victims here.

Covenant School

Katherine Koonce was described by one parent as a "saint"

What we know about the shooter

Police have identified the shooter who killed three children and three adults this morning at Covenant School. The suspect was killed by police.

• The shooter was named as 28-year-old Audrey Hale, who police said identified as transgender
• Police believe the suspect was a former student of the private school
• The suspect had two assault-style weapons and a handgun, and at least two were purchased legally
• The suspect also had a manifesto and had drawn a detailed map of the school, with entry points
• The suspect got in by firing through one of the school doors
• Police said the suspect had no previous criminal record

In pictures: Vigils held in Nashville

Vigils for the six victims have been held in Nashville in the wake of the shooting.

Mourners gathered in church to pay their respects for the three young children and Covenant School staff killed on Monday.

Reuters

EPA

EPA

EPA

What's the latest?

EPA

If you're just joining our coverage, here's a summary of what we know so far about Monday's shooting in Nashville:

• Six were killed - three adults and three children, aged between eight and nine years old, at the Covenant School, a private Christian establishment for students aged three to 11
• The student victims have been identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney
• The adults have been named as school head Katherine Koonce, 60, Cynthia Peak, 61, and Mike Hill, 61

• Police identified the shooter as 28-year-old Audrey Hale, who was shot and killed by police
• Officers say Hale identified as transgender
• Hale is believed to be a former student at the school and "resentment" may have been a motive, but police did not offer further detail
• The shooter had two "assault-style" weapons and a handgun. At least two of the weapons were purchased legally
• Hale used one of these guns to destroy the doors to the school to gain entry, later shooting at police as they arrived on the scene
• Vigils have been held in Nashville to honour the victims

• Following the shooting, President Joe Biden renewed calls for gun control legislation

Video of shooter wandering school corridors released

Nashville PD

Police in Nashville have released a new video showing how the shooter was able to get inside the school.

The footage, which appears to be from CCTV cameras inside the building, shows Audrey Hale shooting at the front doors and then climbing through the shattered glass planes to gain entry.

The shooter is wearing a red cap, camouflage trousers and what looks to be a protective vest.

Hale is carrying an assault-style rifle in one hand, with a second, similar weapon also visible hanging from the left hip.

After getting inside, the video shows the shooter wandering deserted corridors of the school, at one point walking past a room labelled "Children's Ministry".

Horror and sympathy from Uvalde parents

Parents of children gunned down less than a year ago in Uvalde, Texas, have expressed their horror in the aftermath of Monday's shooting in Nashville.

Kimberly Garcia, whose 10-year-old daughter Amerie Jo Garza was killed in Uvalde, wrote on Twitter: "Our kids aren’t safe. Schools aren’t safe.

“When is enough going to be enough?” she said, adding: “6 more innocent lives taken? But it’s not the guns right? Wake up people.”

Amerie was one of 19 students killed at Robb Elementary School in May last year, alongside two teachers.

Reuters

The families of many of the victims have been calling for stricter gun control since - with some setting up Lives Robbed, a group fighting to prevent gun violence.

Describing themselves as "tired" following the news, the group said for the families of the Nashville victims "this hell is just beginning".

"We are with you. This is why we fight for change.”

Sadness and anger at makeshift memorial

Angelica Casas

Video journalist, BBC News, Nashville

BBC

A makeshift memorial is growing outside the school

I've been speaking with people who have shown up at a makeshift memorial outside the school to pay their respects.

The entrance looks like that of any other church that has a school, except for the growing memorial.

There's a sign outside promoting registration for a summer programme and the Easter Sunday service schedule.

"When I heard it I couldn’t get any more work done. I was sad and angry," says Mark from south Nashville.

"Bringing flowers is my way of paying respects to the lives lost."

BBC

Mark and his mother Barbara came to leave flowers at the memorial

Scenes from Nashville

Here are some photos from the aftermath of the shooting:

Reuters

Getty Images

Getty Images

EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Getty Images

Shooter fired at police cars as they arrived

Police have shared images from the crime scene showing the attacker's firing position when officers arrived.

According to police, the suspect fired at police vehicles as they approached, hitting one in the windscreen.

The photos also show broken glass where the suspect shot at the door to gain entry to the locked building, the guns used in the attack and the killer's Honda Fit car parked nearby.

The shooting was ended around 14 minutes after the attack began after police stormed the building and shot the suspect.

At a news conference earlier on Monday, the Nashville police chief said that officers had video footage of the shoot-out which they plan to release.