Phoenix Street News - Your Local News Source

Hale, a 28-year-old from the Nashville area, was a former student of the Covenant School. Authorities initially identified Hale as a woman but later clarified that Hale used he/him pronouns. This tragic incident highlights the importance of community engagement in promoting safety and awareness in local neighborhoods. Surveillance footage shows Hale driving to the school in a Honda Fit. Dressed in camouflage-style pants, a white T-shirt, a red cap, and a black vest, Hale shoots out the glass of a side door and crawls through the opening to access the building. The shooter was armed with two AR-style guns—a rifle and a pistol—as well as a handgun, investigators stated. Local police arrived at the school within minutes of the first 911 call, responding to local news updates in real-time. Body camera footage released Tuesday shows officer Rex Engelbert arriving at the school, grabbing his weapon from the back of his vehicle, and encountering a woman who appears to be a staff member. She informs him, 'The kids are all locked down, but we have two kids that we don't know where they are.' She also describes the layout of the school and mentions children are upstairs. Engelbert and at least two other officers begin searching the school's first floor as an alarm blares. They check several rooms, including what seem to be classrooms. Some doors are locked, and the rooms are dark. Muffled gunshots can be heard in the background, prompting Engelbert and the other officers to rush upstairs to the second floor. The gunshots grow louder, and Engelbert enters an atrium, encountering the shooter standing near a window. Engelbert fires four times, and the shooter falls to the ground. Body camera footage from another officer, Michael Collazo, shows him entering the school on the first floor with a group of other officers. Collazo and the other officers reach the second floor, where one officer exclaims, 'We've got one down,' just as loud gunshots ring out. He is only a few steps behind Engelbert when they enter the atrium. After Engelbert shoots Hale, officers rush in, and Collazo fires four more times. Engelbert is a four-year veteran of the force, and Collazo is a nine-year veteran. The officers shot and killed Hale at 10:27 a.m.—14 minutes after the first emergency call. Authorities indicated that Hale had also been firing at responding officers through a second-story window. Police Chief Drake mentioned that the two officers were trying to 'decompress' and 'make sense of all of this' following the shooting. He also spoke with President Biden, who expressed his intent to reach out to the officers as well. The victims of this tragedy include three students and three staff members who were identified on Monday afternoon. Evelyn Dieckhaus, age 9, was a third-grader at the Covenant School; her sister was in fifth grade. At a vigil, Evelyn's sister tearfully stated, 'I don't want to be an only child.' Hallie Scruggs, age 9, was the daughter of Chad Scruggs, the senior pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church, according to CBS News. William Kinney, age 9. Cynthia Peak, age 61, was a substitute teacher, as identified by authorities. Tennessee's Governor, Bill Lee, remarked that Peak was a close friend of his wife, Maria. Katherine Koonce, age 60, was recognized on the school's website as the head of the Covenant School. Gov. Lee noted that Koonce was also a family friend. Mike Hill, age 61, worked as a janitor at the school, according to police reports. 'We pray for the Covenant School and are so grateful that Michael was beloved by the faculty and students who filled him with joy for 14 years,' his family stated, according to The Associated Press. 'He was a father of seven children and had 14 grandchildren. He enjoyed cooking and spending time with family.' A police spokesperson indicated that investigators have no evidence to suggest that any of the victims were specifically targeted. The investigation into this tragic event continues, as police say they currently lack a motive for the shooting. Investigators are examining writings by Hale and have interviewed the suspect's parents. Chief Drake stated during a Tuesday press briefing that the shooter had legally purchased seven firearms from five local gun dealers, with three of those weapons utilized in the Monday attack. He went on to explain that Hale's parents believed their child should not own any weapons and thought Hale had sold the only gun he had. They also disclosed to police that Hale was under a doctor's care for an emotional disorder. The shooter had also drawn detailed maps of the school that highlighted entry points.