It took about a minute. Just around 60 seconds transpires before body camera footage shows responding officers arrive on campus and then enter the school building. The heroes then made entry quickly and professionally, intensely clearing rooms and working their way through the building. The response stands in stark contrast to the lack of action displayed last year in Uvalde, Texas. But on this occasion, Nashville Metro Police responded with maximum haste, no doubt saving tremendous life when they engaged the target and stopped the horrific Nashville school shooting at The Covenant School Monday, March 27.
Officers Stop Deadly Nashville School Shooting
Only days after more troubling body cam footage went public from the disastrous non-action in Uvalde, yet another school shooting transpired in a “gun-free zone.” Police say 28-year-old Audrey Hale, a former student at the school, allegedly planned to attack multiple locations, including The Covenant School. “There’s some belief that there was some resentment for having to go to that school,” Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake told NBC News.
Police described a highly detailed, carefully laid out plan allegedly hatched by Hale. It included multiple targets, detailed maps, surveillance reports and more. But once inside, the shooter seemingly reverted to madness. “She targeted random students in the school … whoever she came in contact with, she fired rounds,” Drake said, reported NBC News.
Only an equal response has the ability to stop such evil. Officer-worn body camera footage shows that response in stunning detail. Where others sought shelter among the echoes of rifle reports in other attacks, Nashville’s best ran toward the danger. Where security cowered in parking lots in Florida, Nashville Metro formulated a plan and quickly leapt into harm’s way.
Comms on Display
The footage shows a focused, intense, purposeful response. An officer screams “Let’s go; let’s go!” These first responders clearly knew and valued what was at stake in this mission. And when the footage clearly sounds the gun battle on the second floor, it shows multiple officers push forward into the fight.
Among the chaos and intensity of the scene, after watching multiple times, we started paying particular attention to the communication. The entire echelon of first responders stayed in constant communication. While moving and clearing, the chatter turns, pointing all officers to the suspect on the second floor. These are clearly well-trained officers responding with a purpose.
Editor’s Note
We’re not celebrating anything here, as this is a time of sorrow, to be sure. Rather, we want to offers words in stark contrast of what the White House put out yesterday, embarrassingly soon after this awful tragedy, a typical refrain. The Biden-Harris administration immediately called for Congress to act, asking for bans on so-called assault rifles and large-format pistols.
But it appears this shooter neglected other hard targets in favor of this soft one, or at least a “softer” one, filled with school children. So maybe it’s time we can finally advance the conversation beyond banning guns. Instead, let it shift to where it could serve the greater good: let’s protect the people we cherish most.
