On March 27, a school shooting at Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee resulted in the death of six people, including three nine-year-old children.

The shooter was 28-year-old Audrey Hale who had previously been a student at the school. Hale spent months carefully planning the attack; Hale had made plans and had drawings of the school, and ways to get in and out. Hale had bought seven firearms over multiple years despite receiving treatment for an emotional disorder that was never reported to authorities, which allowed her to pass background checks. During the search of Hale’s home, authorities found Winchester and Mossberg shotguns as well as boxes of ammunition and a suicide note. Under Hale’s bed officers found 19 journals described as “school shootings” and “firearms courses,” according to CBS News. 

On March 27, at around 10 pm Hale contacted a childhood friend explaining that Hale was planning on dying that day and that something bad was going to happen. The childhood friend, then called the suicide prevention hotline fearing that something was wrong however as she was not the person at risk she was advised to call local law enforcement.

By the time the childhood friend was off holding, the shooting had already started. Hale entered the building by shooting through the locked glass doors. Upon police arriving at the scene Hale fired at the officers through a window. Two officers entered the building and moved to the second floor where gunshots were coming from. As the two officers entered the room one shot Hale four times with an Assault style weapon and the other proceeded with firing four more pistol rounds into Hale. Audry Hale was killed only 14 minutes after the shooting began.

The shooting at Covenant School in Nashville started student protests across Nashville eventually leading to what we have currently which is anti-gun protests across the country as well as, Black Democratic Tennessee lawmakers Justin Pearson and Justin Jones being ousted by the Tennessee House of Representatives for advocating for gun reform.

Niles North staff member Jameson Zabrin believes that we should not implement stricter gun laws and explained his response.

“In an ideal world, yes,” Zabrin said. “Unfortunately, we don’t live in an ideal world. Therefore, logic needs to take precedence over fear and feelings. Criminals will always find a way to get firearms. Stricter gun laws take the fight away from law-abiding citizens. Having said that, I think there need to be vigorous background checks, but being a former police officer, I saw firsthand how bad people would obtain and use firearms without any regard for anyone’s safety.”

The shooting, although resulting in little damage, continues to demonstrate that guns and gun regulations are not the problems, but the people distributing and buying them are the problem.