Photo: Collected-
Metropolis Desk-
A woman is dead Monday after she killed six people — three students and three school staff members — at a private Christian grade school in Nashville, authorities said.
It was not immediately clear whether the shooter, who was identified by police as a 28-year-old Nashville woman, was connected with the school. Police said officers shot and killed her as she was firing shots in a lobby-like area on the second floor of The Covenant School. The school has about 40 staff members and just under 210 students enrolled in preschool through sixth grade, according to officials.
the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department gave unclear information about the gender of the shooter.
At first, police identified the shooter as Audrey Elizabeth Hale, a 28-year-old woman. At a late afternoon news conference, police Chief John Drake said the shooter was a transgender who identified as a male.
After the news conference, police spokesperson Don Aaron declined to say how Hale currently identified, report news agencies.
President Joe Biden ordered the flags at the White House and all federal buildings be flown at half-staff in memory of the victims killed at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee.
According to the White House, the order will remain in effect until Friday.