Covenant School Shooting: Maps, Writings, & Additional Weapons Found At Shooter's Home

Police continue to learn more about the awful mass shooting perpetrated at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday morning.

As we reported, a person broke into the small Christian private school and began shooting at elementary school students and staff members. In the end, six people were killed — three young children, all later identified as 9-year-old students, and three school staff members.

The shooter was confronted by responding police officers just minutes after the awful event began. The first two officers on scene killed the shooter at that time. One police officer reportedly suffered injuries during that altercation, as well.

Now, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department is revealing more information about the tragedy. For one, cops have located and searched the home where the 28-year-old shooter reportedly lived. At that house, in the Belmont-Hillsboro neighborhood south of downtown Nashville, a search “resulted in the seizure of a sawed-off shotgun, a second shotgun, and other evidence” believed to be related to the shooting.

In a statement released to the media on Monday, the MNPD confirmed this new evidence included pictures “drawn of the school in detail.” Those diagrams reportedly focused on side doors and other entrances at Covenant School where the shooter could potentially gain access to classrooms.

John Drake, the chief of police for the MNPD, spoke to NBC News and others at a press conference on Monday afternoon. In that media briefing, Drake also indicated there were “some writings” left behind at the alleged shooter’s home, as well:

“We have some writings that we’re going over that pertain to this day, the actual incident. We have a map drawn out of how this was all going to take place.”

Cops also found “additional material written by the shooter” in the Honda Fit car driven to the school on Monday morning. At the scene of the crime, cops have now been able to solidify early reports of the weapons involved, as well. MNPD spokesperson Don Aaron confirmed with the media on Monday evening that the shooter brought “two assault-type rifles” and a pistol into the school.

According to Aaron, the first 911 call came into Nashville responders at 10:13 am. Multiple police officers responded to the scene immediately. The shooter was “engaged on the second floor” of the Covenant School building by two officers and shot to death. That ended the tragic threat just 14 minutes after the first call came in.

The MNPD has conclusively determined the identity of the shooter. Officials have also now identified the six innocent victims. They are 9-year-old students Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney, and three school staffers: Cynthia Peak, 61, Dr. Katherine Koonce, 60, and Mike Hill, 61. Koonce was the headmaster of the school.

Here is more on the ongoing investigation into this awful tragedy:

So terrible.

We continue to send our thoughts, prayers, and love to the families and friends of those lost in this absolutely senseless crime. We regret there’s not more we can do.

And we wish our leaders would do more…

If you’re experiencing emotional distress related to incidents of mass violence, you can call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or visit their website at https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline for more resources.

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