Statement from the Covenant School
Authorities have named the people who died in the shooting. Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney, all of whom were 9 years old, were among the kids. The deceased adults were Cynthia Peak, 61; Katherine Koonce, 60; and Mike Hill, 61.
Authorities in Nashville have verified that the gunman entered the Covenant School through a glass door. And then, the shooter killed six individuals. Two policemen responded to a complaint at 10:13 a.m. The police officers approached the gunman on the second floor of the building and killed him.
In a statement sent by email to People, the Covenant School wrote, “Our community is disheartened.” The school further wrote that they had experienced great loss. And they are still in shock after the horror that destroyed their church and school. To start the healing process, they are concentrating on loving their students, families, educators, and staff.
The victims of the school shooting
Here is what we know so far about the school shooting victims:
9-year-old Hallie Scruggs
The father of Hallie Scruggs is Chad Scruggs. At the school-affiliated Covenant Presbyterian Church, Chad serves as the senior pastor. Chad Scruggs confirmed the death of Hallie. Chad was a former assistant pastor at Park Cities Presbyterian Church in Dallas. In the statement, PCPC Senior Pastor Mark Davis expressed his congregation’s compassion for the Scruggs family. And they share their grief over the loss of Chad’s lovely daughter, Hallie. Chad said in a statement to ABC News that they were “heartbroken.” “With tears, we believe that she is in the hands of Jesus. And Jesus will bring her back to life.” According to Chad, his daughter was “a blessing.”
The shooting victim, Evelyn Dieckhaus
The Tennessean reports that Evelyn Dieckhaus was a third-grader at the school. She has a sibling who is in fifth grade. Her sister reportedly declared, “I don’t want to be an only kid.” Evelyn’s sister made this statement during a vigil held at a nearby church on Monday night. The Dieckhaus family released a statement in which they stated, “Our hearts are devastated.” KMOV reporter Paige Hulsey reported this statement. We find it hard to accept what has happened. Evelyn was a bright spot in this dark place. Her family stated that they are grateful for the kindness and support, but they need some privacy to grieve.
William Kinney
According to The Tennessean, William Kinney was also a Covenant School student. William was always sensitive toward others, soft when necessary, quick to laugh, and kind. He admired his parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, and he cherished his sisters. William also enjoyed entertaining people of all ages. Sweet Will never met a stranger, and while his family tries to move ahead, we felt sad for them.
Katherine Koonce
Dr. Katherine Koonce was 60 years old. Koonce, who was also shot on Monday morning, served as the head of the Covenant School. Diane Button told People that she met Koonce when her 8-year-old daughter arrived at Christ Presbyterian Academy. Before transferring to the Covenant School, Koonce worked there.
Button said that Katherine was a loyal friend. Her guiding principle was her religion. Even though she loved her family dearly, she was always motivated to work.
Koonce formerly worked at Christ Presbyterian School in Nashville as the Academic Dean and Director of Learning Services. She obtained her Ph.D. from Trevecca Nazarene University in 2015, according to her LinkedIn page. In April 2016, Koonce had been appointed as the new head of school at The Covenant School.
Mike Hill, 61
61-year-old Mike Hill was also one of the shooting victims. He was a well-liked custodian at the school. A friend said that Hill had spent more than 13 years at the Covenant School. Brittany Hill, Hill’s daughter, recalled her father in a Facebook post. Brittany wrote I have witnessed several school incidents over the years. But I never imagined I would lose a loved one over someone trying to tackle a short-term issue with a long-term one. She advised readers to give their parents and kids a closer embrace as she concluded her post.
Cynthia Peak
Authorities in Nashville claim that Cynthia “Cindy” Broyles Peak worked as a substitute teacher at the school. In a Facebook post, Chuck Owen called her a “lifelong buddy.” Peak, according to Owen, quickly grew close to his sister Mae. She and my sister were best friends when we were kids, according to Owen. After Mae passed away, Owen recalled that “she came right here to lament her old buddy.”
Owen said that he knows Cindy is with her mother, father, and oldest sister in heaven. Owen said he can also find comfort in the fact that she and my sister are hugging and smiling once more.
Wrapping up
The gunman who killed three adults and three children on Monday left the Nashville community in grief. Covenant School said that following the atrocity that destroyed their school and church, they are in shock and are suffering terrible losses. Furthermore, there is a GoFundMe page set up for the shooting victims.