A tragic event unfolded at Antioch High School in Nashville, where a female student was killed and another wounded in a shooting incident. The unsettling occurrence took place in the school cafeteria, initiating a lockdown and a swift response from law enforcement. The shooter, a 17-year-old student, later turned the weapon on himself, ending his life.
The incident occurred amidst a bustling school day, with the Metro Nashville public schools issuing an alert at 11:38 a.m. to inform the public of the crisis.
"Antioch High School is on a lockdown due to shots being fired inside the school building. Metro Police are on the scene," stated Metro schools.
The shooting prompted an immediate lockdown of the school, which accommodates approximately 2,000 students and is situated in Antioch, about 10 miles southeast of downtown Nashville. Two school resource officers were present in the building during the incident, and Metro Police were on the scene shortly after.
The student who suffered a graze wound was promptly transported to Vanderbilt Pediatrics for medical treatment. The shooter used a handgun, though the fatal act occurred away from the initial site of the shooting in the cafeteria.
This tragedy comes less than two years after another devastating event in Nashville, where a former student killed three children and three adults at an elementary school. Antioch itself has a history of violence, including a notable 2017 shooting at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ.
The shooting has ignited renewed calls among community organizers, families, and protesters to push for stricter gun control measures. The community is rallying together in hopes of preventing further tragedies and ensuring safer environments for students.
Dajuan Bernard, a parent waiting to reunite with his son at a nearby Mapco service station, shared his relief upon hearing from his son during the chaos.
"He was OK and let me know that everything was OK," said Bernard.