Murdered Nashville school principal ran to trans shooter to protect her kids

The principal of the Nashville school who was attacked by an “emotionally disturbed” former student on Monday ran towards the gunfire to save her students, it has been claimed.

dr Katherine Koonce, the 60-year-old principal, was found lying dead in a hallway in what the Nashville Police Chief said indicated she had a “confrontation” with Audrey Hale, a 28-year-old transgender woman.

Hale shot through the locked glass door at the Covenant School entrance at 10:13 a.m. Monday, and the alarm went off. Hale then began searching for victims — who were chosen at random, police said — and was seen on surveillance footage walking through the corridors with an assault rifle in hand.

Nashville City Council member and former FBI agent Russ Pulley said Koonce was trying to save her students.

Katherine Koonce, headmistress, was among those shot by Hale

“When the principal, Dr. As soon as Konce heard the first shots, he ran toward the danger,” he wrote on Facebook.

“She also made sure the school was prepared with active shooter training and protocols. These actions have saved countless lives.”

Pulley told Fox News Digital that Koonce was on a Zoom call when Hale barged in.

Nashville City Council member Russ Pulley said Koonce died protecting her students

“It is my understanding from a witness at the school that Katherine Koonce was on a Zoom call when she heard the first shot,” Pulley said.

“She immediately ended the call, stood up and walked straight towards the shooter.

“She did what principals and principals do; She protected her children.

“Furthermore, she prepared school by striving for advanced-level active rifleman training, and from witnesses at the scene, this log, the details of which I cannot provide, saved countless lives.”

Nashville Police Chief John Drake said Tuesday he had no doubt she was getting close to danger — although he doesn’t have specific details.

“There was a confrontation, I’m sure – you can tell by the way she was lying in the hallway,” said Drake.

The pastor of Koonce’s church, West End Community Church, paid tribute to her sacrifice.

“She gave her life to defend the children in her care,” John Bourgeois said in a statement to Church members.

Two other school employees — Cynthia Peak, a 61-year-old substitute teacher, and Mike Hill, a 61-year-old janitor — were also killed in the shooting.

Three nine-year-olds were killed.

Hale’s LinkedIn profile suggested they were now living as a man. Police and Hale’s parents refer to the 28-year-old as “she,” but some online profiles suggest Hale was called “Aiden.”

Cynthia Peak (left, with daughter Ellie) and Mike Hill, a janitor (right), were among those shot by Audrey Hale

Hallie Scruggs is one of three nine-year-olds killed in Monday’s shooting. She is seen with her father, Chad Scruggs, the pastor of the school’s affiliated Presbyterian Church

Tributes have been received for a second victim, Will Kinney (pictured), who was shot dead in the massacre along with Hallie Scruggs and Evelyn Dieckhaus, all aged 9

Evelyn Dieckhaus, 9, was one of the victims shot

Hill, the caretaker, was shot dead when the gunman fired a volley of bullets into the locked glass doors to get into the school, Drake said.

“I don’t know the details yet. But I feel like Mike’s sacrifice saved lives,” said Tim Dunavant, a Hartsville First United Methodist Church pastor who employed Hill at Covenant School 13 years ago.

“I have no facts to base that on. I just know what kind of guy he was. And I know he’s the guy who would do that.”

An image emerges of Hale as a deeply troubled young person who was angry with her parents for her Christian upbringing.

Drake said the manifesto contained “grudges”.

Hale’s parents, church coordinator Norma, 61, and her husband Ronald, 64, knew she once had a gun but told her to sell it because they didn’t think she could be trusted with it.

Ronald and Norma Hale told police they were unaware their daughter still had guns

Hale was identified from her car, which was parked at the school

The 28-year-old shot through a locked door (pictured) to enter the school

Debris from Hale’s forced entry into the school is pictured. The 28-year-old shot through the locked door of the school

Instead, she hid her stash and added by buying a total of seven different guns from five local stores.

Hale is being treated for an emotional disorder, the Nashville police chief said.

Chief Drake said: “Law enforcement knew nothing about the treatment and it is obvious that she was not supposed to own guns.”

Authorities also confirmed that Hale’s mother had asked her what was in a red backpack she was carrying on the morning of the murders, but she dismissed her question.

Hale then brought three of their guns to Covenant School – two rifles and a pistol.

Two more guns were removed from the home on Tuesday in video obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com.

Drake said of her family: “You felt like she had a gun and that she had sold it. She was being treated by a doctor for an emotional disorder.

“Her parents didn’t think she should own guns, and they felt she didn’t anymore.

“But she had several hidden around the house.”