John Dickerson reports on a deadly school shooting in Nashville, what’s next for Israel after Netanyahu delays controversial reforms, and Putin’s nuclear plans in Europe.
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Three children and three adults were killed following a mass shooting at Covenant School in Nashville’s Green Hills neighborhood on Monday morning, officials said.
The suspected shooter, who was fatally shot by police, was identified as 28-year-old Audrey Hale from Nashville, authorities said. Officials said that she was armed with “at least” two assault rifles and a handgun.
Police said their preliminary investigation indicates that the suspect was at one time a student at the school, Nashville Police Chief John Drake said. He did not know exactly when she may have attended.
Covenant, founded in 2001, is a private Christian school with 33 teachers and up to 210 students starting in preschool through 6th grade, according to the school website.
Nashville Police Chief John Drake said at a news conference that the shooting was a targeted attack. Drake said police discovered “a manifesto” as well as planning material.
“We’ve also determined there were maps drawn of the school in detail of surveillance, entry points, etc,” Drake said. “We know and believe that entry was gained by shooting through one of the doors, is how they actually got into the school.”
The police response
The shooter entered Covenant School through a side door and traversed the building, moving from the first floor to the second floor and “firing multiple shots,” Metropolitan Nashville Police Department spokesman Don Aaron said.
Responding officers saw the shooter firing on the second level, and at that point, they “engaged” her, Aaron said. The shooter was fatally shot by two of the five responding police officers at the scene, he said.
Female mass shooters are rare
While not much is known about the shooter, the fact that she was identified as a woman is rare. Since 1982, only three mass shootings in the United States have been carried out by women, according to data from the Statista Research Department. In that same time frame, men have been behind 135 mass shootings, Statista reported.
In 1979, 16-year-old Brenda Spencer opened fire on Cleveland Elementary School in San Diego, killing two adults and wounding eight children. Spencer used a .22 caliber rifle her father had given her for Christmas, CBS8.com reported.
At the time the teen famously told a reporter that she carried out the shooting because “I don’t like Mondays,” CBS8.com reported.
In the wake of Monday’s shooting at Nashville’s Covenant School, which left at least three children and three adults dead, Tennessee representative Andy Ogles, who represents the school’s district, issued a statement, writing, in part: “My family and I are devastated by the tragedy that took place at The Covenant School in Nashville this morning. We are sending our thoughts and prayers to the families of those lost. As a father of three, I am utterly heartbroken by this senseless act of of violence.” Obviously, Republican calls for “thoughts and prayers” have long been a meaningless offering in light of the party’s consistent refusal to actually do anything to stop gun violence. But Ogles’s use of the phrase, in addition to his claim of being both “devastated” and “heartbroken,” rings even more hollow in light of his undeniable celebration of killing machines.
Take a look at the Christmas portrait Ogles chose to pose for, and disseminate, in 2021. It features his entire family, save for the very youngest, posing in front of a tree holding assault-style rifles. As TheWashington Postnoted at the time, Ogles, who was then the mayor of Maury County, Tennessee, posted the photo alongside the caption, “The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference — they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good,” a quote often dubiously attributed to George Washington.
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Offensive Christmas photos aside, Ogles’s claim of being devastated by today’s shooting is pretty absurd his record on gun control. As mayor, he signed a resolution “declaring [his county] a sanctuary community for the constitutional right to bear arms.” On his congressional campaign website, he promised: “I will fight tirelessly to ensure that your constitutional rights are protected and never infringed upon. Disarming the people is the most effective way to enslave them, and we must remain vigilant when anyone seeks to erode our civil liberties.” In January, he cosponsored a bill that would allow people with concealed carry licenses or permits to carry a weapon in any other state. And just this month, he cosponsored legislation that would prohibit the federal government from creating a federal firearms registry.
Naturally, Ogles talks a big game about protecting children—not, of course, from things that could actually hurt them, but from made-up bullshit like “woke indoctrination.”
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Unsurprisingly, Ogles isn’t the only Republican hypocrite out in full force in Tennessee today. Senator Marsha Blackburn had the audacity to tweet this…
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A female shooter opened fire at a private Catholic grade school in Nashville on Monday, killing three children and three adults, officials said. The suspected shooter was fatally shot by police, authorities said.
Authorities have not released the names or ages of the victims or the shooter, who officials said was armed with “at least” two assault rifles and a handgun.
Officials responded to the shooting at Covenant School on Monday morning.
“An active shooter event has taken place at Covenant School, Covenant Presbyterian Church, on Burton Hills Dr.,” Nashville police said in a tweet. “The shooter was engaged by MNPD and is dead.”
An active shooter event has taken place at Covenant School, Covenant Presbyterian Church, on Burton Hills Dr. The shooter was engaged by MNPD and is dead. Student reunification with parents is at Woodmont Baptist Church, 2100 Woodmont Blvd. pic.twitter.com/vO8p9cj3vx
Convent is a private Christian school in Nashville for preschool through 6th grade, CBS affiliate WTVF reported. Last year, the school ran an active shooter training program, the station reported.
Special agents at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation were also involved in the response.
“At the request of District Attorney General Glenn Funk, TBI special agents and additional personnel are responding to the scene of this morning’s school shooting in Green Hills,” the agency tweeted. “As indicated by @MNPDNashville, there is no current threat to public safety.”
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee said he is “closely monitoring the tragic situation at Covenant” in the wake of the shooting, alongside state law enforcement and highway patrol officers.
“I am closely monitoring the tragic situation at Covenant, & the @TNDeptofSafety & @TNHighwayPatrol are assisting local law enforcement & first responders at the scene,” the governor wrote on Twitter. “As we continue to respond, please join us in praying for the school, congregation & Nashville community.”
In this image from video provided by Jozen Reodica, law enforcement officers lead children away from the scene of a shooting at The Covenant School, a private Christian school in Nashville, Tenn., on March 27, 2023.
Jozen Reodica / AP
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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The body of the student who shot two administrators at a Denver high school was found Wednesday night. One victim remains in serious condition while the other has been released from the hospital.
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An appeals court ruled that the parents of a shooter who killed four students at a Michigan school can face trial themselves for purchasing the gun used in the killings.
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An investigation is underway after at least two students were wounded in a shooting that took place at a Texas high school on Monday morning, authorities said.
The shooting at Lamar High School in Arlington, a city located between Dallas and Fort Worth, happened outside of the school building, according to the Arlington Police Department. The department confirmed they arrested the suspected shooter in an update shared to Facebook shortly after the incident.
Two students suffered injuries and were receiving medical treatment, although the nature of their injuries is unknown, CBS Texas reported.
Police said the school building had been secured once the suspect was in custody and did not believe any active threats to the school remained after the arrest. However, the school was locked down while officers searched and cleared the entire building, the police department said.
“Lamar HS is in lockdown due to an on-campus shooting,” reads an alert notice that the Arlington Independent School District posted on its website Monday. “The shooting occurred outside the school. Please avoid campus while APD investigates.”
Arlington police addressed the families of Lamar High School students still inside the building in their Facebook post.
“Parents, please look out for information from our partners at Arlington ISD regarding student release,” the police department wrote.
“Lamar High School is currently on lockdown and you will not be allowed on campus,” the message continued. “Although there is no longer any active threat, per our protocols, officers must clear the entire building, which would take some time.”
The department said it will share additional information about the shooting “when we’re able to.”
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The 6-year-old who shot his elementary school teacher in Newport News, Virginia, in January will not face charges, according to the case’s prosecutor, though it has not yet been decided whether any adults will be held criminally responsible.
The prosecutor said that a child that young could not reasonably stand trial, and it would be “too problematic” to pursue charges, as he would not be able to understand the legal system, the basis of the charges or be able to provide sufficient assistance to his counsel.
“We do not believe the law supports charging and convicting a 6-year-old with aggravated assault,” Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard Gwynn told WTKR.
Children arrive at Richneck Elementary School for the first day of classes back at the school in Newport News, Va., on Monday, January 30, 2023. The school has been closed since an incident earlier this month involving a 6-year-old student bringing a gun to school and shooting his teacher.
Kristen Zeis/ The Washington Post via Getty Images
Charges for a child this young are not prohibited under Virginia law.
The victim of the shooting, Richneck Elementary School teacher Abigail Zwerner, had repeatedly warned school officials about the child, and even alerted administrators that the boy could potentially be armed on the day the shooting took place. Zwerner’s attorney announced her intent to file a lawsuit against the school district.
The boy’s parents maintained in a statement through their lawyer that their son suffered an “acute disability,” but declined to give further specifics. They also insisted that the gun their son used to shoot his teacher had been “secured” in their home.
Zwerner’s legal team told CBS News that they are “not making any comment on this.”
Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard Gwynn told NBC News on Wednesday that the “prospect that a 6-year-old can stand trial is problematic.”
Gwynn doubted that a young child would be able to understand the legal system, what a charge means or how to adequately assist an attorney.
Although a 6-year-old could be theoretically be criminally charged under Virginia law, Gwynn said he does not believe there is a legal basis to charge the child.
“Our objective is not just to do something as quickly as possible,” Gwynn said. “Once we analyze all the facts, we will charge any person or persons that we believe we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt committed a crime.”
On Jan. 6, the unnamed boy reportedly brought a 9 mm handgun to school and intentionally shot his first grade teacher, Abby Zwerner, as she was teaching the class.
The shooting happened during the first week when the child was unaccompanied by either parent, according to the parents’ statement.
He survived the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting in Texas. Now, Trey Louis is going to Hollywood to compete to be the next “American Idol.”
The 21-year-old singer and mattress salesman went viral after his audition aired on “American Idol” on Sunday. During the audition, Louis, who calls himself “Trey from the Fe,” sang the song “Stone” by Whiskey Myers. His performance earned a standing ovation from the show’s three judges, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
Bryan immediately told Louis, “You’ve got the perfect voice,” and asked him why he wanted to compete for the “American Idol” title. That’s when Louis revealed his story.
“‘American Idol,’ No. 1, is kind of where people that I enjoy make it. No. 2 – as I said before, I’m from Santa Fe, Texas. In May 2018, a gunman walked into my school,” he said, growing visibly emotional. “I was in art room one, he shot up art room two before he made his way to art room one.”
Trey Louis appears on “American Idol.”
Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images
Ten people were killed in the the shooting, including two substitute teachers. Another 10 people were injured in the incident, which took place during the school’s first-period art class. Police identified the gunman was a 17-year-old student at the school.
“I lost a lot of friends. Eight students were killed. Two teachers were killed,” Louis told the judges. “It’s just really been negative man, Santa Fe’s had a bad rap since 2018.”
His story prompted an emotional and outraged reaction from the judges, all of them tearing up as he recalled the shooting. Bryan told him after that Louis sings from “the perfect spot.”
“You let it come out of your heart and that’s what we love around here,” Bryan said.
That’s when Perry seemingly broke down, sobbing into her hands.
“Our country has f***ing failed us,” she said. “This is not OK. You should be singing here because you love music, not because you had to go through that… You don’t have to lose eight friends.”
“I hope that you remind people that we have to change,” she added, “because I’m scared too.”
Louis’ talent earned him a resounding “Yes” from all three judges, allowing him to move on in the competition and go to Hollywood.
“Thank you America and Thank you Santa Fe,” the singer wrote on his Facebook following the episode, along with photos of him holding onto the show’s desired golden ticket. “I Love You.”
Thank you America and Thank you Santa Fe.
I Love You
Police said three people were killed and five wounded in a shooting at Michigan State University Monday night, and the suspect is dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Watch their briefing.
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On Feb. 14, 2018, a gunman murdered 17 people and wounded 17 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. David Hogg, who was 17 at the time, survived and helped to create March for Our Lives, which promotes gun control legislation. Now a senior at Harvard, Hogg tells correspondent Rita Braver what he has been through the past five years, including death threats against himself and his family; what his group has accomplished; and what it means for young people having to become leaders as advocates for change.
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Two students were killed Monday and an adult employee was injured in what police said was a targeted shooting at a Des Moines school that is dedicated to helping at-risk youth. Three suspects were arrested afterward.
The shooting was at an educational program called Starts Right Here that is affiliated with the Des Moines school district.
Police say emergency crews were called to the school, which is in a business park, just before 1 p.m. Officers arrived to find two students critically injured, and they started CPR immediately. The two students died at a hospital. The adult employee who was injured is in serious condition and was headed into surgery Monday afternoon.
About 20 minutes after the shooting, police said officers stopped a car that matched witnesses’ descriptions about two miles away and took three suspects into custody. Police said one of the suspects ran from the car, but officers using a K-9 were able to track that person down.
“The incident was definitely targeted. It was not random. There was nothing random about this,” Sgt. Paul Parizek said.
A law enforcement officer walks outside the Starts Right Here building Jan. 23, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa.
AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley tweeted that he was monitoring the situation and “praying for all those affected.”
Im monitoring reports of a shooting in Des Moines at Starts Right Here charter school Thx to first responders & law enforcement for promptly responding Praying for all those affected
The Starts Right Here program, which helps at-risk youth in grades 9-12, was founded by Will Holmes, a rapper whose stage name is Will Keeps. He didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment Monday.
“The school is designed to pick up the slack and help the kids who need help the most,” Parizek said.
The Greater Des Moines Partnership, the economic and community development organization for the region, says on its website that Keeps came to Des Moines about 20 years ago from Chicago, where he “lived in a world of gangs and violence” before finding healing through music.
The partnership said the Starts Right Here movement “seeks to encourage and educate young people living in disadvantaged and oppressive circumstances using the arts, entertainment, music, hip hop and other programs. It also teaches financial literacy and helps students prepare for job interviews and improve their communication skills. The ultimate goal is to break down barriers of fear, intimidation and other damaging factors leading to a sense of being disenfranchised, forgotten and rejected.”
The school’s website says 70% of the students it serves are minorities, and it has had 28 graduates since it started. The school district said the program serves 40 to 50 students at any given time. The district said no district employees were on site at the time of the shooting.
The district said in a statement: “We are saddened to learn of another act of gun violence, especially one that impacts an organization that works closely with some of our students. We are still waiting to learn more details, but our thoughts are with any victims of this incident and their families and friends.”
Gov. Kim Reynolds, who serves on an advisory board for Starts Right Here, said she was “shocked and saddened to hear about the shooting.” Des Moines Police Chief Dana Wingert is on the Starts Right Here board.
“I’ve seen first-hand how hard Will Keeps and his staff works to help at-risk kids through this alternative education program,” Reynolds said in a statement. “My heart breaks for them, these kids and their families. Kevin and I are praying for their safe recovery.”
Nicole Krantz said her office near the school was put on lockdown immediately after the shooting, and she saw someone running from the building with police in pursuit on foot and in patrol cars.
“We just saw a lot of cop cars pouring in from everywhere,” Krantz said to the Des Moines Register. “It’s terrifying. We’re all worried. We went on lockdown, obviously. We were all told to stay away from the windows because we weren’t sure if they caught the guy,”
The parents of a 6-year-old boy in Virginia who shot his first-grade teacher in class earlier this month are speaking out about their son and the violent incident, saying they were responsible gun owners who kept firearms out of children’s reach.
“The firearm our son accessed was secured,” the parents said in a statement to BuzzFeed News via their attorney, James Ellenson. The statement didn’t explain how the child gained access to the weapon and managed to bring it to school.
The gun had been legally purchased by the child’s mother, police have said. Newport News police Chief Steve Drew told CNN earlier that charging the parents “is certainly a possibility.”
The parents said the boy who shot teacher Abby Zwerner has an “acute disability” and was under a care plan that required at least one of his parents to be in his classroom every day.
The shooting happened during the first week neither parent accompanied the child in class, according to the statement.
“We will regret our absence on this day for the rest of our lives,” the parents said.
“Our heart goes out to our son’s teacher and we pray for her healing in the aftermath of such an unimaginable tragedy as she selflessly served our son and the children in the school,” the parents said.
Zwerner, a first-grade teacher at Richneck Elementary in Newport News, was shot in the chest and hand by the student on Jan. 6 after he pulled a handgun from a backpack during class, police said.
A GoFundMe account in Zwerner’s name has raised more than $228,000 for medical expenses.
Schoolteacher Abby Zwerner was shot earlier this month by a 6-year-old student.
The parents of a 6-year-old boy who shot a first grade teacher in Newport News, Virginia earlier this month said in a statement that they don’t know how the boy got access to their gun. The parents also stated that their son suffers from an acute disability. The teacher, Abigail Zwerner, was released from the hospital this week and continues to recover.
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Staff will experience crisis scenarios from law enforcement and fire department personnel.
Press Release –
Jan 10, 2023
FINDLAY, Ohio, January 10, 2023 (Newswire.com)
– SafeDefend, LLC, the nation’s leading provider of comprehensive crisis management solutions, and Findlay City Schools announced today that all staff in the Findlay City Schools organization will be receiving active shooter and crisis management training on Friday, Jan. 13.Findlay City Schools has adjusted the school calendar to be able to provide staff with this valuable training. Dr. Greg Vecchi, Phd, FBI (ret) is the Director of Training for SafeDefend. His experience as the former Chief of the FBI Behavioral Science Unit has been instrumental in developing the most effective, evidence-based, active killer response training available. Dr. Vecchi not only understands the best practices for crisis management and mitigation, but has deep understanding of the behaviors associated with active killers. Staff will be provided training on the SafeDefend system installed recently in Findlay City Schools as well as have an opportunity to engage in scenarios utilizing the SafeDefend system in coordination with Findlay City law enforcement, Findlay City fire, and first responders. The staff will be provided a full day of training to help prepare them to evacuate, evade or engage in an active shooter or life-threatening situation. Findlay first responders are working closely with Findlay City Schools and SafeDefend to provide emergency operation plans to facilitate the coordination of response for any crisis at a school.
“The Findlay City Schools are absolutely at the forefront of school safety. Providing the real-time notification and training that SafeDefend provides combined with their focus on a coordinated and effective law enforcement, fire, and EMT response puts Findlay City Schools as one of, if not the most, safe and prepared school districts in the country,” Jeff Green, President of SafeDefend.
“Findlay City Schools has an unwavering commitment to ensuring academic excellence and the safety of staff and students is paramount. Implementation of SafeDefend helps continue our work to ensure that our schools are safe places for learning and growth.” Mrs. Krista Crates-Miller, Interim Superintendent, Findlay City Schools.
“I am excited to bring our training to the staff at Findlay City Schools. Although I hope and expect that staff will never have to be involved in an active killer or life-threatening event, the training will empower staff to manage the crisis until help arrives and put them in the best position to ensure everyone gets home safely should it ever happen.” Dr. Greg Vecchi, PhD, FBI (ret), Director of Training, SafeDefend,
“SafeDefend coupled with the training on Jan. 13 highlights our commitment to the safety of our students and staff here at Findlay City Schools. We are proud of our proactive approach to providing this additional layer of safety and security, which is an expectation of every parent that trusts us with their child. However, we go much deeper with the partnership to provide a comprehensive notification and response package that is not only a model for communities moving forward but has brought everyone to the table to preplan available resources, communication, and pre-deploy and preassign those roles and responsibilities. All law enforcement, fire, EMS, and others in the community that have a role have these plans, and we are thankful to have this partnership and are proud of our collaborative efforts. The execution of this community-wide tactical plan takes shape and is noticeable in the trainers that will be involved on Jan. 13.” Mr. Matthew Cooper, Findlay School Board President, and Findlay Fire Department Battalion Chief.
Findlay City Schools has partnered with SafeDefend to bring this training to their staff and are working together to create the model of school safety for school districts across the country.
Police say the 6-year-old who shot his teacher in Newport News, Virginia, put his mother’s handgun in his backpack before he left for school. The teacher was giving a reading lesson when she was shot, according to officials. Kris Van Cleave reports.
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Police in Newport News, Virginia, say a 6-year-old student took a gun that was legally owned by his mother and shot and wounded a teacher in class. They released new details on the investigation at a news conference Monday. Watch their remarks.
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