Disgruntled ex-student shoots three children dead at old school

THE first pictures of the victims of the Nashvil le school shooting were revealed today as police disclosed that the killer was a former student.

- Martin Bentham

Pupils Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney, who were all aged eight or nine, were killed along with headteacher Katherine Koonce, 60, and staff Cynthia Peak and Mike Hill during the attack. It lasted around quarter of an hour and ended when the attacker was shot dead by police.

The sister of one of the child victims was reported to have been heard crying “I don’t want to be an only sister” after being told of yesterday’s tragedy at the Covenant School, a private Christian primary for children aged three to 11.

Police named the killer as Audrey Hale, inset. They said the 28-year-old identified as transgender and had been potentially been motivated by resentment “for having to go to that school”.