Three nine-year-old children and three adults in their sixties have been confirmed as the victims of a school shooting in Nashville. It is understood to be the thirteenth school shooting in the US so far this year.
Police have named the victims as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, William Kinney - all aged nine - and Cynthia Peak, age 61, Katherine Koonce, age 60, and Mike Hill, age 61.
Officers were called to The Covenant School - a private primary school in Nashville, Tennessee - after reports of an active shooter at 10:13 local time (15:13 GMT) on Monday (March 27). The shooter has been named as Audrey Hale, a 28-year-old transgender woman from the Nashville area, and possibly a former student of the school. She was reportedly dead by 10:27 local time.
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During their investigation, police say they discovered a "manifesto" and a "map drawn out of how all this was going to take place". Officers also said they have a theory about motive, but they cannot confirm it at this time.
The shooter used two 'AR-style weapons' as well as a handgun, and at least two of the guns were obtained legally, according to police. They are currently searching a residence on Brightwood Avenue.
In a press briefing tonight, Nashville Mayor John Cooper said he was "overwhelmed by the loss" of life in the shooting.
"14 minutes from start to finish" was all it took to take the lives of six people, he said. "Those guns stole precious lives from us today from Nashville. In this dark hour let us support each other, let us hug our children a little bit closer tonight."
Earlier, President Joe Biden said more must be done to stop gun violence, saying it is 'ripping our communities apart'.
"I call on Congress again to pass my assault weapons ban," Biden said. "It is about time".
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