Nashville school shooting: Officers who took out suspected Covenant shooter identified

Two police officers were killed in the shooting at Covenant School in Nashville on Monday.

Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake stated that Officer Rex Englebert, and Officer Michael Collazo, fired at Audrey Elizabeth Hale, 28, and “fatally wounded her.” This brought an end to the shooting that left six people dead, including three children.

Officer Englebert, a four-year MNPD veteran, and Officer Collazo, a nine-year MNPD vet are both Officer Englebert.

“Chief John Drake, the MNPD men and women, and all of Nashville, mourn today’s deaths, three nine-year olds, and three adults at the hands of active shooter at Covenant Church/School, Burton Hills Drive,” reads a statement by the Nashville Police.

According to the police chief Hale shot at officers arriving on the scene through windows on the second level before they sweep the building and find her in a common area.

“A 911 call about shots being fired into the building was received at 10:13 am. Officers raced to the scene and made entry to the building to clear it. The second floor was the scene of shots. A team of officers found Hale firing shots from the second floor. She had been shooting through a window at approaching police cars. Chief Drake stated that Hale was fatally injured by two officers from the officer team.

Within 15 minutes of Hale’s initial shots being fired, the responding officers arrived on the scene to neutralize the shooter.

Evelyn Dieckhaus and William Kinney were the victims, each nine years old. Mike Hill, Cynthia Peak, and Katherine Koonce were also among them.

According to police, Hale arrived at the school in her Honda Fit, heavily armed with three guns, years after she attended the school. Two AR-style weapons were also included, as well as a pistol.

MNPD released surveillance video showing Hale entering the school/church through a set glass doors located at the side entrance.

A nearby vehicle contained writings that Hale was associated with, which the MNPD discovered. This revealed that her attack was planned and calculated.

Police said that other evidence was also seized, including a sawed off shotgun and another shotgun when officers executed a warrant at Hale’s Brightwood Avenue residence.

The shooting is still under investigation. It was led by many MNPD components with support from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.