Covenant School

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“We strongly believe there was going to be some other targets including maybe family members and one of the malls here in Nashville,” Drake told CBS News.

“We have to do something with gun violence and mental illness,” Drake continued. “Our kids are counting on us.”

Police interviewed Hale’s parents and said that Hale legally purchased seven guns from five different area gun stores, three of which were used in the shooting.

“We know that they felt that she had one weapon and that she had sold it,” Drake said on Tuesday. “She was under doctor’s care for an emotional disorder. Law enforcement knew nothing about the treatment that she was receiving, but her parents felt that she should not own weapons.”

MNPD is leading the investigation, while the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office in their investigation of the police response, as is standard policy.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as the Tennessee Highway Patrol, are also assisting in the ongoing investigation.

Nashville DA Glenn Funk called the shooting “the ultimate crime.”

“I am overwhelmed at the thought of the loss of these families, of the future lost by these children and their families,” Nashville Mayor John Cooper said in a Monday evening news conference. “The leading cause of death of kids is guns and gunfire, and that is unacceptable.”

Gov. Bill Lee tweeted that he was “closely monitoring the tragic situation” and encouraged prayer, while President Joe Biden renewed his call for an assault weapons ban following the killings.

Biden also spoke with Chief Drake and is expected to speak with Officers Engelbert and Collazo.

“Our community is heartbroken,” The Covenent School said in a statement. “We are grieving tremendous loss and are in shock coming out of the terror that shattered our school and church. We are focused on loving our students, our families, our faculty and staff and beginning the process of healing.”

Approximately 50 people gathered at the Belmont United Methodist Church in Hillsboro Village Monday evening, one of several community vigils following the Covenant School shooting.

Keller Hawkins, a Belmont University graduate student, Vanderbilt University Divinity School alum and Insight Counseling Center counseling intern, provided opening remarks and an opening prayer.

“If you are angry, we are angry with you,” Hawkins told the crowd. “If you are exhausted, you are not alone. If you are weeping, we weep with you. If you are confused and lost, we are confused and lost with you.”

Kate Fields, BUMC pastor of children’s ministry and discipleship, and Ingrid

McIntyre, BUMC pastor-in-residence for community engagement, read a lament that included calls for the protection of trans youth, access to mental health care and stricter gun regulation.

After music, candle lighting and time for individual prayer, BUMC Senior Pastor Paul Purdue gave a tearful closing sermon.

“These are the moments that we must reach out,” Purdue said. “We must reach out to one another. We must reach out to our legislators. We must reach out to those who are disenfranchised and hurting.”

At Lipscomb University, dozens of students and community members gathered for a vigil. The event featured prayer, Bible readings and singing. Attendees throughout the crowd could be seen embracing.

A city-wide candlelight vigil was scheduled for March 29 at 5:30 p.m. at Nashville’s One Public Square Park.

Elsewhere, some political leaders were urging action in response to the violence. At the state Capitol, the House and the Senate held brief floor sessions and rescheduled much of the day’s business. According to The Tennessean, Senate and House Democrats criticized Republican leadership for cutting off discussion of the tragedy.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton, a Republican, cut off the microphone of Rep. Bo Mitchell (D-Nashville) because Sexton said Mitchell had strayed from the House rules by discussing the shooting during a time reserved for “welcoming and honoring” visitors.

“I’ll tell you one thing: There’s six people today I can’t welcome and honor anymore into this hallowed house,” Mitchell responded. “Y’all just think about those six people and think if your guns are worth it.”

Several pieces of legislation sponsored by Republicans and currently under consideration would make it easier for Tennesseans to get or carry firearms. One would lower the age limit for open carry of handguns from 21 to 18 while expanding permitless carry to rifles, though there is some disagreement among supermajority Republicans about the latter provision. Law enforcement has opposed permitless carry for years

Tennessee Republicans have largely focused their legislative efforts related to school shootings on school safety in recent years rather than access to guns.

Hendrell Remus, chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party, called on Gov. Bill Lee and Republicans in the legislature to drop the bills.

“I’m infuriated at the amount of pain and anguish that reckless gun violence is continuously causing in our communities,” Remus said. “It’s time for Republicans in our state to protect every Tennessean and they can begin by pulling their dangerous new gun legislation.”

A version of this story appeared in our sister publication Nashville Scene.