NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Wednesday marked a day of tragic loss for parents and students at Antioch High School. But this type of loss isn’t completely unfamiliar to the citizens of Nashville.
A school shooting at Antioch High on Jan. 22 left one student without her life and two others with injuries. The 17-year-old shooter also took his own life.
Parents just 20 miles west of Antioch are reminded of a day they have tried to heal from for nearly two years.
The Covenant School shooting happened nearly two years ago now, a tragedy where three children and three adults lost their lives at the hands of a 28-year-old shooter.
FOX 17 News reached out to Covenant School parents who can empathize with the victims of today’s incident.
“We are both sickened by this news at yet another school in our state. Our heart aches for the students and teachers and parents of Antioch High School,” said mothers Melissa Alexander and Mary Joyce. ” It is unimaginable until it happens to you, and the terrifying impact and loss from today will never leave them. They will carry this day forever.”
These mothers want to focus on making changes to Tennessee law to prevent further school shootings in the state.
“How many morethis must stop. When is it enough? This is not and can not ever be normal. We must act in Tennessee to prevent these shootings and prevent another family from experiencing this heartache. With the legislature convening in just days, they should make taking action the top agenda item,” they said in their joint statement.
Tennessee Representative Shaundelle Brooks issued a statement after today’s tragedy in remembrance of his son, Akilah, whom he lost seven years ago to a mass shooting in 2018:
“Every child deserves to live free from the fear of gun violence. Ever since I lost my son, Akilah, in a mass shooting in 2018, I have been fighting to ensure this never happens again. Here we are almost 7 years later, and our communities are still being impacted by gun violence. My prayers are with all of those impacted by this senseless tragedy. We are only one week into the start of our legislative session and already our state has been ravaged by another school shooting. I will continue to call on my colleagues in the TN Legislature to pass comprehensive gun reform to ensure the safety of our children and loved ones. We must do better.”
Another Covenant mother, Sarah Shoop Neumann, offered a response to Rep. Brooks’ sentiment, saying in her statement:
“While I cannot believe one week into our legislative session I am having to send a statement on yet another school shooting, here we are. I wanted to share my own thoughts and have a formal statement from Rep. Shaundelle Brooks below as well. My prayers are with every person affected by the tragedy at Antioch High School. We cannot continue to let our children be ravaged by these senseless acts of violence. So many lives will never be the same and are now forever marked by this day. With every new act of violence, every prior victim is retraumatized and a new group of innocent individuals enters into the unimaginable nightmare they never asked to be a part of. While I know we will continue to experience pain until Jesus returns, there are non-partisan, non-controversial ways to lessen these acts of violence and we MUST act.”
For further coverage on the Antioch School Shooting, click here.
