Nashville reporter shares that her mother-in-law was working at school when shooter opened fire

A Nashville news reporter described how her mother-in-law was working in the Covenant school lobby when the shooter opened fire Monday morning.

Hannah McDonald, a reporter for NewsChannel 5 Nashville, went on the air this afternoon to recount her mother-in-law’s experience at school.

“He was outside of school and he heard gunshots, he had just come back from his break,” McDonald said on the air.

She said her husband’s father worked in reception at the Covenant School, an elementary school on the outskirts of the city.

Six people, including three children, have died after a 28-year-old woman opened fire at a private school in Nashville.

“She’s the one who sits at the reception,” he added. ‘The front door is actually on the side of the building and that’s where she sits herself.

She was at school this morning, however, Diana was able to get out of this safe. In fact, she walked away to take a break. And that’s why right now I’m torn.

McDonald said her mother-in-law had been at the school since early and before the shooting that took place around 10 a.m.

‘She starts her day earlier, this is a primary school, people are there at 7am to greet these children. She came back and heard shots,” she said.

Police say the shooter, who has not yet been identified, killed three children and three adults before being shot dead by police. His identity has not yet been confirmed, but police have said that he is 28 years old.

We don’t know who she is. She appears to be in her late teens,” Don Aarons, the spokesman for the Nashville Metropolitan Police, said at a news conference Monday.

Earlier on the NewsChannel 5 broadcast, McDonald said that only thirteen months ago he covered school shooter training at the Covenant School.

“It’s a strange situation to be in right now,” he said. ‘I can’t believe this school, a year ago, did that training. I was there, and here they are now, some thirteen months later, putting this into practice.’

Shortly before 10:13 a.m., the shooter entered the school through a side door and began shooting on the second floor.

Police arrived at the scene and heard gunshots coming from the second floor. By 10:27 a.m., she had been shot dead. She was armed with two assault-style rifles and a pistol.

Parents have been told to pick up their children at a nearby church, but no other information has been given.

‘I know this is probably the worst day of everyone’s life.

“I can’t tell you how understanding we are,” a Metropolitan Police officer was heard telling the parents as they waited for updates at a nearby church.

Neighbors of the school watched as parents frantically flocked to the scene to find their children.

First lady Jill Biden, speaking at the National League of Cities conference Monday, told the crowd: “We just heard about another shooting in Tennessee, a school shooting.

‘I’m really speechless. Our children deserve better. We stand with Nashville in prayer.’

Monday’s shooting is the 129th mass shooting this year.