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Evelyn Dieckhaus: Mourners don pink bows at funeral for 9-year-old Nashville school shooting victim who pulled the fire alarm

Evelyn Dieckhaus was trying to pull the fire alarm when Audrey Hale shot her alongside her schoolmates Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: A nine-year-old girl who was shot while trying to pull a fire alarm to rescue her friends and fellow classmates was remembered as a "beacon of light" during her pink and green-themed funeral. The memorial for Evelyn Dieckhaus was held at the Woodmount Christian Church in Nashville on Friday, March 31, just three miles away from The Covenant School, where the disturbing massacre took place on Monday, March 27. 

She is the first of six victims, whose memorial was attended by mourners donning pink bows and children carrying stuffed animals. Heroic Evelyn was trying to pull the fire alarm when transgender gunmen Audrey Hale shot her, alongside her schoolmates Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney, all aged nine, and school head Katherine Koonce, 60, substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, 61, and school custodian Mike Hill, 61. Services for Hallie and Peak are expected to take place on Saturday. 

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Evelyn Dieckhaus had 'poise beyond the years'

A photo of Evelyn wearing a bright pink headband was used in the service programs as they paid tribute to her "infectious laugh" and "angelic" voice. Senior Pastor Clay Stauffer told the huge crowd, "Evelyn could have been anything. But she chose to be a beacon of light and hope, love and joy to those around her. She was an incredible girl," reported Daily Mail. Evelyn's obituary described her as "strong but never pushy," adding that she had "poise beyond the years." "This girl could read a room. It was clear to everyone who knew her that Evelyn Dieckhaus knew who she was. She understood where she would fit into any given scene and always where she was needed."

What happened inside the Covenant School?

Evelyn's aunt shed light on the details leading to the nightmarish massacre. Her aunt, Kelly Dorrance, said she believed Evelyn, who was the class leader, was heading a line of children in what she may have believed was a fire drill. "We’re finding out the shooter may have pulled the fire alarm to get kids out of their classroom," Dorrance said in a private Instagram post reported by Daily Beast. "Evelyn being one of the class leaders was at the front of the line assuming fire drill. She was trying to lead her classmates to safety and possibly didn’t hear the shouts to come back in the room. Things children should never worry about."

However, Hale's motive behind the mass shooting remains unclear, as it is reported she was at odds with her devout Christian parents because they "couldn't accept" she was gay and transgender. Hale, who used he/him pronouns and started identifying as Aiden, was refused by her parent's church coordinator Norma, 61, and her husband Ronald, 64, to dress as a man in their home. Police Chief John Drake said Hale had been suffering from an "emotional disorder" and described her as having "high-functioning" autism and was under doctors' care. Her parents were reportedly aware of her collection of weapons and asked her to sell them because she couldn't be trusted with them, instead, Hale hid her stockpile. Chief Drake said, "Law enforcement knew nothing about the treatment, and it is apparent that she should not own weapons."