NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Authorities have released recordings of 911 calls made during the deadly shooting Monday at The Covenant School in Nashville, according to multiple reports.
The calls show the terror and panic felt after a shooter opened fire inside the private Christian school on Monday morning, killing three children and three staff members. The shooter was killed by responding police officers.
Authorities got the first 911 call reporting the shooting at 10:12 a.m., according to the recordings, obtained by WTVF and The Associated Press. Two people, who were walking away from the school with a group of six preschoolers, say a person is firing shots through glass in the doors while going down a hallway at The Covenant School.
“Approximately how many shots have you heard?” a dispatcher asks.
“A lot. A lot of shots,” a woman answers. “I heard about 10 and I left the building.”
“That’s enough. That’s enough. We need somebody en route,” a man interrupts.
“They’ve already been dispatched, we already have units on the way, and they’ve already been dispatched,” the dispatcher replies.
Seconds later, another woman called 911 to report the shooting as she hid in an art classroom closet. In a hushed voice, she tells the dispatcher that she thought she heard gunshots but that they have since stopped. The sound of crying can be heard in the background.
“I’m hearing more shots,” she says later in the call. “Please hurry.”
Another caller tells a dispatcher that he’s inside the school and asks that they send help.
“I’m on the second floor in a room,” he says. “I think the shooter is on the second floor.”
Police officers confronted the shooter, identified as 28-year-old Audrey Hale, on the second floor of the school. Two officers opened fire, killing Hale about 15 minutes after the first 911 call was made.
Police said Hale previously attended The Covenant School. There were indications that Hale had recently begun using the name Aiden and identified as a man, according to the AP, although authorities have referred to Hale as a woman.
The circumstances leading to the attack remained unclear Thursday. Chief John Drake of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department told NBC News that authorities believed Hale had “some resentment for having to go to that school.”
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