People in the Nashville and Global Communities Speak Out
Viewers in the Nashville area and around the world commented on CBS’s interview with Bachmann. With 125 mass shootings in the United States in just the first three months of 2023, heightened emotions surround the topic.
“My deepest condolences to his entire family,” One commenter offered. “May the Lord grant him eternal Paradise and comfort the bereaved family with his beautiful memories.”
Another wrote, “We should advocate for real solutions like encouraging teachers and staff to be armed. Truth is police have no legal obligation to save you or anyone else. Parkland and Uvalde the police failed to act. Carry a gun daily, Only you can protect yourself and those you care about. Never allow some corrupt politician to violate your natural right to arms.”
“Another horrible day with another killing! Those poor children and the staff!” Someone else commented. “Why isn’t there enough money to help the mentally sick in this country?”
School Shooting Claims 7 Lives, Including the Shooter
On Monday morning (March 27), a former student of The Covenant School used assault weapons to kill three students and three adults at the school. The shooter, who had reportedly been treated for mental illness, was shot and killed by two officers on the scene.
The victims have been identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus (9), William Kinney (9), Hallie Scruggs (9), custodian Mike Hill (61), teacher Katherine Koonce (60), and Cynthia Peak (61). During the interview, Bachmann stated the school had conducted a safety and active shooter drill just a week prior to the attack.
Reports say that the shooter was targeting the church’s current pastor, Chad Scruggs. While Bachmann could not confirm those reports, he understood that the church staff took shelter in the pastor’s suite during the attack. Scruggs was “not present,” Buchannan stated. “So, the shooter turned and went back down the hallway to the second and third grade classrooms.”
That is where the shooter claimed the life of Hallie Scruggs, daughter of Pastor Scruggs, and two other students.
Bachmann remembers the shooter as a former student at the school. He said that the “sweet” second-grader came from a wonderful family and “was competitive and loved to play sports with the boys.”
The interviewer asked Bachmann his response to those who say, “We don’t need your thoughts and prayers. We need action.” Bachmann replied, “That’s above my pay grade. We need to love each other. We need to learn to disagree agreeably and learn how to forgive.”
“It’s not okay to shoot each other. Particularly, shoot children and innocent victims,” Bachmann continued. “The message of the gospel is we love our neighbor as ourselves and try to bear each others’ burdens and work through problems. We all have problems, and we all need help at times of our lives.”
