NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Three children, three adults and the female suspect were killed in a shooting at a school in the Nashville neighborhood of Green Hills on Monday morning.

Metro Nashville Police confirmed all three children were nine years old, identifying them as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney. Authorities also identified the staff members as Mike Hill and Cynthia Peak, both 61 years old and Dr. Katherine Koonce, 60.

The Nashville Fire Department said the shooting happened at The Covenant School, a private Christian school with an enrollment of 209 students from preschool to sixth grade. It was initially reported as an “active shooter” incident at 10:13 a.m., Nashville Police spokesperson Don Aaron said.

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Police reported that two officers entered the building, ran toward the sound of gunfire, met the shooter on the second floor of the school, and fatally shot her.

The shooter has been identified as 28-year-old Audrey Hale, a Nashville woman who identifies as a transgender woman. Hale was reportedly armed with two assault-style rifles and one handgun.

Gun used in the Covenant School shooting 3
(Courtesy of the Metro Nashville Police Department)
Gun used in the Covenant School shooting 2
(Courtesy of the Metro Nashville Police Department)
Gun used in the Covenant School shooting
(Courtesy of the Metro Nashville Police Department)

Police revealed that Hale entered the building by shooting out the glass of the doors. They released photos Monday night, showing a bullet hole in a squad car windshield, along with the windows shot out from the second story of the school.

According to the police, Hale fired shots at arriving officers from the second floor.

  • Covenant School door
    Covenant School doors shattered from gunshots on March 27, 2023. (Courtesy of the Metro Nashville Police Department)
  • Covenant School door 2
    Covenant School doors shattered from gunshots on March 27, 2023. (Courtesy of the Metro Nashville Police Department)
  • windows shattered on the second floor
    Holes in windows of the second floor at The Covenant School. (Courtesy of the Metro Nashville Police Department)
  • windows shattered on the second floor 2
    Holes in windows of the second floor at The Covenant School. (Courtesy of the Metro Nashville Police Department)
  • Cruiser hit with bullet 2
    Nashville Police cruiser hit with bullet. (Courtesy of the Metro Nashville Police Department)
  • Cruiser hit with bullet
    Nashville Police cruiser hit with bullet. (Courtesy of the Metro Nashville Police Department)

By 10:27 a.m. police said the shooter was deceased. MNPD Chief John Drake said Hale attended Covenant School at one time. Drake also said the shooting was a targeted attack and said gender ID could play a role.

One police officer sustained a hand injury from broken glass. There were no additional injuries.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are assisting Metro police in the investigation.

  • This photo provided by the Metro Nashville Police Department shows officers at an active shooter event that took place at Covenant School, Covenant Presbyterian Church, in Nashville, Tenn. Monday, March 27, 2023. Authorities say the suspect in a shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville is dead. (Metro Nashville Police Department via AP)
  • Metro Nashville Police cars escort evacuees from the school and church on schools buses as they leave Covenant School, Covenant Presbyterian Church, in Nashville, Tenn. Monday, March 27, 2023. Officials say several children were killed in a shooting at the private Christian grade school in Nashville. The suspect is dead after a confrontation with police. (AP Photo/John Amis)
  • Children from The Covenant School, a private Christian school in Nashville, Tenn., hold hands as they are taken to a reunification site at the Woodmont Baptist Church after a shooting at their school, on Monday March, 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Jonathan Mattise)
  • An ambulance leaves of Covenant School, Covenant Presbyterian Church, in Nashville, Tenn. Monday, March 27, 2023. Officials say several children were killed in a shooting at the private Christian grade school in Nashville. The suspect is dead after a confrontation with police. (AP Photo/John Amis)
  • A police officer walks by an entrance to The Covenant School after a shooting in Nashville, Tenn. on Monday, March 27, 2023. (AP Photo/John Amis)

A reunification area was established at the nearby Woodmont Baptist Church for parents to meet their children who attend The Covenant School, the fire department said. Some students could be seen walking to safety Monday, holding hands as they left their school surrounded by police cars, to the nearby church.

Police said investigators have also identified Hale’s address. When investigators searched the home, they found multiple documents, including detailed maps of the layout of Covenant School.

After 7 p.m., police revealed Hale drove a Honda Fit to the school parking lot and parked on the property before entering the school. Detectives searched the vehicle and found “additional material written by Hale.”

Audrey Hales car
The Honda that police believe belonged to Audrey Hale, the shooter at The Covenant School. (Courtesy of the Metro Nashville Police Department)

The Covenant School was founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church in 2001, according to the school’s website. The school is located in the affluent Green Hill neighborhood just south of downtown Nashville, situated close to the city’s top universities and home to the famed Bluebird Café – a beloved spot for musicians and songwriters.

The grade school has 33 teachers, the website said. The school’s website features the motto “Shepherding Hearts, Empowering Minds, Celebrating Childhood.”

The Red Cross said they are “providing disaster mental health workers, spiritual care workers, water and snacks at this time.”