US flags to be flown at half-staff to honour victims of Nashville shooting
US President Joe Biden has ordered that the flags at the White House and all federal buildings will be flown at half-staff to honour the victims of the school shooting in Nashville.
He said that the flags will be flown at half-mast until sunset, on March 31, 2023. Biden’s decision comes after six people, including three children were killed in a school shooting in Nashville, as per the CNN report.
Metro Nashville Police Department tweeted, “The 6 victims fatally shot by the active shooter at Covenant School are identified as: Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney, all age 9, Cynthia Peak, age 61, Katherine Koonce, age 60, and Mike Hill, age 61.”
In a statement honouring the victims of the shooting in Nashville, Biden said, “As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on March 27, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, March 31, 2023.”
He further said, “I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.”
Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake said the person who killed six people at Covenant School in Nashville on Monday has been identified as Audrey Hale. The 28-year-old shooter was killed during gunfire with police, according to authorities.
The shooter had drawn detailed maps of Covenant School, Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said in a press conference. Drake said that the suspect in Monday’s shooting was armed with three firearms, CNN reported.
US President Joe Biden on Monday (local time) termed the school shooting at Nashville as “sick” and said that the US has to do more about gun violence. While on Congress to pass an assault weapons ban and said that the shooter in Nashville reportedly had two assault weapons and a pistol.
While addressing the Small Business Administration Women’s Business Summit, Biden said, “It’s just sick. You know, we’re still gathering the facts of what happened and why. And we do know that, as of now, there are a number of people who are not going to, did not make it, including children. And it’s heartbreaking. A family’s worst nightmare.”
Biden lauded police for responding within minutes to end the danger. He further said, “We’re monitoring the situation really closely Ben, as you know and we have to do more to stop gun violence. It’s ripping our communities apart, ripping the soul of this nation ripping at the very soul of the nation. And we have to do more to protect our schools so they aren’t turned into prisons.”