Six people, including three children, have been killed when a teenage girl opened fire at the Covenant School, a private Christian grade school in Nashville, Tennesee.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and the shooter, who opened fire at the Covenant School, Covenant Presbyterian Church, on Burton Hills Blvd, was also killed, police said.
Three adults were also shot, two of them fatally. The shooter was a female who appeared to be in her teens, according to the police. She hasn’t been identified as of now.
A spokesperson from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center confirmed that three pediatric patients were transported to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, all having suffered gunshot wounds.
All three children and two were pronounced dead after arrival.
Earlier, the Nashville Fire Department alerted residents with a post on Twitter: “We are responding to an active aggressor at 33 Burton Hills Blvd Covenant School.
“We can confirm we have multiple patients. Parents coming to the school should go to 20 Burton Hills at this time. This is an active scene.”
All hospitals are on full alert for incoming and triage, according to Scoop Nashville.
Authorities established a reunification area at 2100 Woodmont Blvd (Woodmont Baptist Church) for parents to meet their children who attend The Covenant School at 33 Burton Hills Blvd.
Agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are participating in an investigation into the incident.
WKRN reporter, Peyton Kennedy, earlier reported that at least four people, including a shooter, have been killed.
Metro Nashville Police Department said in a post on Twitter: “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.”
Airspace was also being restricted over the school, with authorities requesting news choppers as well as planes monitored by the Nashville International Airport to clear the airspace.
About 200 students from preschool through sixth grade attend the Covenant School.
https://get-latest.convrse.media/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mirror.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fus-news%2Fbreaking-nashville-school-shooting-multiple-29563103&cre=center&cip=26&view=web
Students were led out of the school in a line, each with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.
As parents gathered and waited to pick up their kids, a police officer told them: “I know this is probably the worst day of everyone’s lives. I can’t tell you how sympathetic we are.”
Mayoral candidate Freddie O’Connell said: “Nashville has, sadly, today joined the communities that have experienced a school shooting.
“For now, my focus is turning to supporting the impacted families and revisiting our efforts to prevent these horrifying scenarios.”
The Covenant School was founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church in 2001 and it is located in the Green Hill neighbourhood, south of downtown Nashville.
The grade school has 33 teachers and an enrollment of between 195 and 210 students, according to its website, which features the motto “Shepherding Hearts, Empowering Minds, Celebrating Childhood.”