In a harrowing development at Antioch High School in Nashville, a student confrontation escalated into a fatal shooting on Wednesday. According to the Metro Nashville Police, as reported by CBS Austin, two students, both female, were shot in the school's cafeteria. One of the victims succumbed to their injuries, while the shooter, a 17-year-old male student, turned the gun on himself and is also deceased.
The ordeal began to unravel just after 11 a.m. CST when the gunman opened fire. Following the tragic incident, Metro Police revealed that they had received a 911 call from the school at 11:11 a.m. One of the female students died from the injuries, and another sustained a graze wound but is in stable condition. A third student also received medical attention for a non-gunshot facial injury. In a disturbing display of violence, the school has tragically been transformed temporarily into a crime scene, with authorities ensuring there is no further threat.
During a press briefing, Metro Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron shared, "Two school resource officers were in the building when the shooting happenedd." As relayed by AP News, the officers, however, were not in the immediate vicinity of the cafeteria at the onset of the shooting. By the time they arrived at the location, the gunman had already fatally shot himself with a handgun.
The Metro Nashville Public Schools issued a statement, later fragmented by grief, detailing that Antioch High School will remain on lockdown as investigations continue. In the meantime, a reunification site for parents and students has been established at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital. Dajuan Bernard was among the anxious parents, waiting to pick up his 10th grade son who, upon hearing the gunfire, texted his father to assure him of his safety. Bernard told AP News, "This world is so crazy, it could happen anywhere. We’ve just got to protect the kids, and raise the kids right to prevent them from even doing this. That's the hardest part."
With a student population of about 2,000, Antioch High School lies within a Nashville neighborhood situated roughly 10 miles southeast of downtown. As of early Wednesday afternoon, Nashville police disclosed that they had not requested assistance from the FBI, per FBI spokesperson Elizabeth Clement-Webb.
