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1 Three Kids, Three Adults, And Shooter Dead After Shooting At Nashville School
The city of Nashville, Tennessee is reeling after a shooting at an elementary school killed three children and three adults. The shooting happened at a private Christian elementary school called The Covenant Presbyterian School. Police say officers rushed the school, heard gunshots on the second floor, and "engaged the shooter" who was armed with two assault rifles and a handgun. What do we know about the shooter? The shooter has been identified as 28-year-old Audrey Elizabeth Hale who was reportedly a former student at Covenant Presbyterian. Hale was also reportedly transgender and used he/him pronouns. Police did not provide another name for the shooter. According to their LinkedIn page, the shooter was a commercial illustrator and graphic designer who once worked on a children’s book about a support dog. What led up to the shooting? The Nashville police chief says the shooter had maps of the school, as well as "a manifesto" and had been conducting surveillance prior to the shooting. Investigators have since gone through the home and interviewed the father. Investigators say they have a theory regarding motive but aren't ready to discuss it yet. Who were the victims? Police have ID'd the three kids and three adults killed by Hale. The kids killed at The Covenant Presbyterian School included two nine-year-olds and one eight-year-old. The victims include nine-year-olds Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney, 61-year-old Cynthia Peak, 60-year-old Katherine Koonce, and 61-year-old Mike Hill. Peak was a substitute teacher, Hill worked as a custodian and Koonce was the headmistress.
2 Train Derailment In North Dakota Spills 70 Cars Of Hazardous Material
Reports say a train carrying hazardous materials derailed in North Dakota early yesterday morning. The incident happened near Wyndmere, west of the Minnesota border. Officials said 31 of the 70 Canadian Pacific cars on the train derailed, some of which leaked petroleum used to make asphalt. The leaked materials will freeze due to the cold weather and are expected to turn into gel. The cleanup is projected to last between a week and ten days. Authorities say there was no threat to public safety, no fire, no nearby waterways and no reported injuries. Emergency response personnel from Canadian Pacific including a hazardous material team and local first responders were on site yesterday morning in Wyndmere, about 60 miles from Fargo. This is the latest in a string of train derailments that have made national news. The 50-car derailment in East Palestine, Ohio in February is still causing concern after spilling hazardous materials and forcing evacuations from the area. Residents have complained of illnesses and dead animals since the event took place on February 3rd.
3 Recovery Efforts Continue In Mississippi After Deadly Tornadoes
There's widespread devastation after an outbreak of deadly tornadoes across Mississippi and Alabama claimed at least 26 lives. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves was joined by state and federal officials Sunday as they pledged their support. He also thanked the Biden administration for rolling forward a federal state of emergency, saying that "help is on the way." At least 10 tornadoes struck Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee on Friday night. What’s more, the National Weather Service says the tornado that tore through parts of Mississippi packed estimated wind speeds of 166 to 200 miles per hour. Meanwhile, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has released a list of locations where victims of Friday's deadly storms can go for shelter, food, and other essentials. The Open Shelter Locations include The National Guard Armory in Rolling Fork, the Humphries County Multipurpose Building in Belzoni, and the Old Amory National Guard Building in Amory. Mobile relief teams from FEMA, the Red Cross, and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks are also in the hardest-hit areas of Mississippi, helping to provide essential services.