x
Breaking News
More () »

Nashville Metro Police release body camera footage of Covenant School shooting response

The video released Tuesday shows the police response took roughly three and a half minutes from the moment officers arrived to when the shooter was killed.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Metro Nashville Police Department released new body camera footage of officers confronting and killing a shooter who killed three kids and three adults at a private elementary school in Nashville on Monday.

The video released Tuesday shows the police response took roughly three and a half minutes from the moment officers arrived at the school to when the shooter was killed. 

Nashville school shooting: How to help families, survivors

MNPD said the video shows the shooting from the perspective of two of the responding officers: Officer Rex Engelbert, a 4-year veteran, and Officer Michael Collazo, a 9-year veteran.

The shooting at The Covenant School began around 10:10 a.m. CDT, according to times on surveillance footage from inside the school.

The first body camera video was from the perspective of Officer Engelbert, and the second video was from Officer Collazo's perspective. When officers first arrive, a woman outside the building looking at her phone tells Officer Engelbert someone upstairs heard gunshots, saying there were children upstairs.

Officers immediately unlocked the school entrance and entered with guns drawn as sirens blared inside. Officers began to check a few unlocked rooms downstairs before running upstairs.

Gunshots could be heard as the officers made their way down a hall upstairs. They passed what appeared to be a victim on the floor in the hall, which was censored by MNPD in the video.

Seconds later, they encounter the shooter standing in a common area off to their right near a large window. Glass could be heard shattering just before Officer Engelbert shot his rifle several times, and the shooter is seen falling to the ground.

Officers advanced forward toward the shooter before Officer Collazo tells them to "watch out" and began firing several shots at the shooter with his pistol. The shooter's hands could be seen flailing upward before falling to the ground as Officer Collazo yelled at them to "stop moving." 

Officers surrounded the shooter as they laid motionless on the floor, yelling at them to move their hands away from two rifles they were carrying. Officer Collazo then approached and moved the guns away from them, which is where both videos ended.

Police said it took approximately 14 minutes from the time they received the initial shots fired call at 10:13 a.m. at the school to the time they confirmed the suspect was dead at 10:27 a.m.

MNPD identified the children who died as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney. The adult victims were identified as Cynthia Peak, 61, a substitute teacher, Katherine Koonce, 60, the head of the school, and Mike Hill, 61, a custodian. 

The shooter, who police identified as Audrey Hale, 28, was a former student at the school and had no criminal history. They said Hale drove to the school before shooting their way into the building armed with two assault-type rifles and a 9mm pistol. Police said Hale suffered from an emotional disorder and was able to legally purchase seven guns before the shooting.

MNPD said Hale fired at police vehicles from the large upstairs window as officers responded. Police said one officer suffered injuries from shattered glass.

During a press conference on Monday, MNPD Chief John Drake was also asked by a reporter whether the shooter identified as transgender. Drake said that they believed the shooter was a transgender person. More specific information about the shooter’s gender identity was not available as of Monday evening.

WBIR is including gender identity in this case because investigators have suggested the fact may play a role in the motive behind the shooting. Drake called the shooting a "targeted attack" and said police found a "manifesto."

On Tuesday, Drake said authorities had not determined a motive for the shooting. He said the students who died appeared to be randomly targeted, and the shooter's writings mentioned the school and contained information about other locations and how assaults would take place.

You can see the MNPD body camera video below, as well as surveillance video from the school showing Hale's entry into the school.

Editor's Note: The following video from the Metro Nashville Police Department is disturbing and contains censored footage of officers shooting the suspect and encountering victims. Viewer discretion is advised.

The active shooting suspect drove to Covenant Church/School in her Honda Fit this morning, parked, and shot her way into the building. She was armed with 2 assault-type guns and a 9 millimeter pistol.

Posted by Metropolitan Nashville Police Department on Monday, March 27, 2023

   

Before You Leave, Check This Out