Nashville, Tenn. (AP) – Authorities released the 111 written on Thursday that they took terror inside the Nashville high school by a mass shooting This week, as callers asked for help in hushed voices while sirens, screams and gunfire could be heard in the background.
Police records show about two dozen 911 calls were made after Monday’s attack at Union High School, in which three boys and three young men were killed. They include the voices of teachers and school officials, some whispering while hiding in classrooms, bedrooms, bathrooms and offices, as alarms went off. One teacher tells the operator that he is with 17 boys in the school and hearing “so many shots.”
In the second call, 76-year-old retired church member Tom Pulliam tells that he was sent with a group, including several boys, walking from a Christian school. Although Pullia remains calm, the tension and confusion of the situation is clear, with several adults talking over each other and the voices of children in the background.
When the shooter asks for the shooter, Pullias asks for another person to advance in the line.
“All I saw was a man taking charge and throwing things through the door. In the second step find
When asked how many shots were fired, the woman replied: “I saw about 10 and I left the house.”
Pulliam, who was walking with his wife near the church when the attack happened, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he is struggling to make sense of it. He mentioned most of the children and how calm they seemed, not “screaming and yelling or anything.”
“There for a common school day, these children,” he said, “It’s been difficult for days.”
In another call that started just before 10:13 a.m., a woman tells the dispatcher that she could hear a pause in the gunfire from her hiding place in the art room.
When asked if it’s a safe place, the woman replies, “I think so,” as children can be heard in the background.
The teacher then says that he can hear more guns, asking the messenger, “Please hurry.”
In the second call, lead pastor Chad Scruggs, whose daughter was killed in the attack, identifies himself and tells the operator that he is outside the building and facing gunshots.
“I mean inside,” he said.
One woman, who hid under a desk in the seminary, told the dispatch school, which is attached to the Covenant Presbyterian Church, that sometimes some staff members carry guns, but the security guards are not dedicated.
“We have a school or two, I’m not sure who’s going to pack it — whose job is security,” he said. “We don’t have security guards, but we do have staff.”
A spokesperson for the police department did not immediately respond to a message asking who was armed at the school for security. A school spokesperson said the school did not immediately have a problem.
Authorities say the attack ended when police shot and killed the assailant, identified as 28-year-old former student Audrey Hale.
The release of the warrants came as protesters gathered at the Tennessee Capitol to demand that the Republican-led State Legislature clamp down on guns.
Chant “Save our children!” echoed in the halls between the Court and House chambers, with rioters stationed inside and outside the building. Some people filled the corridors of the courthouse, including children who held signs referring to the “Nine”. children of his age who died Most of the protestors were removed from the gallery, after some of them began shouting at the lawyers, “The children are dead!”
The three students who were killed were Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney. The three adults were Katherine Koonce, 60, a high school teacher, substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, 61, and Mike Hill, a 61-year-old custodian. Funeral plans for six victims have been announcedwith the first Friday for Evelyn. He urged those mourning the death of Evelyn to cheer up the colors as a tribute to her “color of light and love.”
The protests were followed by a candlelight vigil Wednesday night in Nashville where Republican lawmakers First lady Jill Biden stood by, Democratic lawmakers and musicians including Sheryl Crow. Speakers read the names of the victims and offered condolences but refrained from political opinions.
Absent from the vigil was Tennessee’s Republican Governor, Bill Lee, who avoided public appearances this week and did not propose any steps his administration would take in response to the shootings. Lee was a lawyer less restrictive gun laws along with a major school security.
As with similar responses to gun violence, state Republican leaders avoided calling for gun restrictions and threw their support behind strengthened school security.
In a letter to Lee, Republican Lt. Gov. Randy McNally called for improving windows and glass in school buildings, adding magnetic locks to doors, modernizing camera systems and increasing armed guards. McNally later said he was also in favor red flag laws like the one in Florida.
Meanwhile, Tennessee’s U.S. senators, Republicans Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, are calling for legislation that would “sustain” a $900 million program to donate to schools and hire safety leaders.
Police said Hale walked into the school on Monday morning, kicked down the glass doors, entered and started shooting promiscuously. Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake did not say what investigators believe the shooter’s motive was, only noting that the shooter did not target specific victims and “had some anger because he was going to that school.”
Drake said the shooter had drawn a map of each schoolincluding potential entry points and led guards to carry out the attack.
Police said Hale was under medical care for an “emotional disturbance.” Authorities, however, have not established a link between that concern and the shooting. Police and Hale said they did not wear out before their attack.
Social media accounts and other sources indicate that the man is known as the shooter and may have recently started using the first name Aiden. Police said Hale was “assigned to be a female child” but used male pronouns in the profane social media post. However, police continued to use female pronouns and the name Audrey to describe Hale.
Sainz reported to Memphis. Associated Press contributor Kristin M. Hall in Nashville.
