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'Worst nightmare of a parent': Witnesses recount Nashville school shooting horror that left 6 dead

Witnesses describe a chaotic scene after Audrey Hale opened fire at Covenant School in Nashville

NASHVILLE, TENNESSE: Nashville city is shaken by the horrifying shooting at the Covenant School, that killed 3 children and 3 adults. Scarred witnesses detailed the mayhem following the fatal shooting. A woman who works across the street from the Nashville Christian school where a mass shooting occurred reported seeing police vehicles scurrying to the scene on Monday, March 27.

Jozen Reodica said she was most frightened when she saw police vehicles pull into the Covenant School parking lot where 28-year-old Audrey Hale, who identified as transgender, was involved in the deadly mass shooting before she was shot by officers, CNN reported. "It all happened so fast," said Reodica, adding that police quickly closed off streets near the elementary school after learning of the tragedy.

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What did the witness see?

Jozen Reodica, who works at Shearwater Health across from the school, captured footage of terrified pupils being escorted out of their building by police. She said they strolled hand in hand in a single file.

Kathy Thoreson resides in the Burton Hills area where The Covenant School is located. She reported hearing several gunfires ring out as she was walking back from breakfast on Monday morning.

'It’s very tragic'

Thoreson stated that some of the shots were louder than others and that she initially believed the sound was roofers. "The first about eight or ten shots were very loud," she stated. The following ones were quieter than the first round of gunshots, and then there were more. She then understood the sound wasn't roofers but rather gunshots. She added that it made her uncomfortable. "I have four grandkids here. I mean, I can be thankful, but I am so sad for these parents and kids," she stated. "It’s very tragic. It’s two blocks from our house. It could happen at any school. It’s very tragic. It really is," reports News 2. 

'You never think it's going to happen where you are'

Thoreson told that this was the worst nightmare for any child or parent. She has been a resident of the region for about three years, but she never anticipated that it would occur at her house. She remarked, "You never think it's going to happen where you are.

'I really didn’t know where it was coming from'

A witness was waiting at a stop sign on Hillsboro Road near Bradford Hills on his way to make a delivery. He suddenly noticed what appeared to be speeding vehicles trailed by police vehicles traveling in all directions. "The road wasn’t blocked off yet. | continued on to make a delivery right next to the school," reports Fox News. "I heard gunshots start as I'm walking back to my car so I'd jump in. It was just loud and an actual barrage of shots fired, but I really didn’t know where it was coming from or that it was even at the school," he added. 

'Police helicopters and ambulances'

Leaving the local area, the witness turned onto Hillsboro Road in the direction of the town when he saw a woman leaping into the road in front of him from the woods. "I slam on my brakes, see children behind her. Jump out start waiving my arms to stop traffic," he continued. "People in every lane stopped and let them cross. And there all traffic sat blockaded for 30+ mins." The witness added that over 60 ambulances, as well as police helicopters, police on foot, and police vehicles of all kinds, continued to arrive throughout that period. "I had no idea who was doing the shooting or if the suspect was caught until it hit the news live, while I was still sitting there. Which shockingly confirmed it was at the school," the witness explained.