Nashville School Shooting

Earlier today a shooter entered a private school, shot and killed 3 young students and 3 faculty members before she was confronted by police, who shot and killed the shooter.

Initial reports indicate the shooter was a female, but identified as male and also indicate that she may have been a student in the past at the school. Motive at this time is unknown. So far we know the shooter was armed with 2 “Assault Rifles” and a handgun.

A huge thank you goes out to the police officers who rushed into harms way to stop the shooter from killing more people. Unlike the Ulvade school shooting last year, the Nashville police ran into the school towards the gunshots and confronted the shooter. This is how law enforcement is expected to respond – not mill about outside complaining that they won’t go in because the shooter has an “AR” and prevent parents from rushing in to save their children.

Our hearts go out to the families that have been destroyed by this person. Our thoughts and prayers are with them – especially the parents of the 3 children. No parent should have to bury their child, especially under these circumstances.

Details are still coming out, but of course the White House is already out with their “we must do more” gun control rhetoric. Rather than focusing on the HOW, why don’t we focus on the WHY and see what we can do to fix that.

Tennessee Laws regarding Firearms in Schools

As of July 1, 2021, an adult can carry a handgun, openly or concealed (Constitutional Carry), in Tennessee without a permit, if the person is:

• 21 or older (or 18 or older for certain military members)
• in lawful possession of the handgun (and not a prohibited person), and
• in a place where their presence is lawful.

Possession of any firearm is prohibited on school property outside of a private vehicle. Vehicle transportation of an unloaded firearm without a carry permit is legal on school property if one is a non-student adult and they do not remove, utilize, or allow to be removed or utilized the weapon from the vehicle (T.C.A. § 39-17-1309(c)(1). Per T.C.A. § 39-17-1313, a student with a valid handgun carry permit may have loaded firearm in a vehicle, as long as the firearm is locked in a container, glove box, or trunk, and is not utilized or removed.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-7-163 prohibits post-secondary institutions from taking “any adverse or disciplinary action against an employee or student of the postsecondary institution solely for such person’s transportation and storage of a firearm or firearm ammunition in compliance with § 39-17-1313 while on or using a parking area located on property owned, used, or operated by the postsecondary institution.”

Of course, Assault, and Murder are both illegal already, so since the shooter was willing to violate at least 3 laws already, please tell us what other laws would have prevented this tragedy?