Nashville school shooting: US politician 'does not regret' family Christmas photo posing with guns

A politician for the US district where six people, including three children, were killed in a school shooting on Monday has said he does not “regret” the Christmas photograph he published that depicted his family posing in front of a Christmas tree holding guns.

Republican Congressman Andy Ogles said he was “devastated” by the tragedy at The Convenant School in Nashville. But he told TV news he had no regrets over a photograph he circulated at Christmas 2021 showing him, his wife and two of his three children holding firearms. Only his youngest child was not holding a gun, instead wearing a Santa hat and holding a sign saying “Merry Christmas”.

The shooter, 28-year-old Audrey Hale, killed three nine-year old children, as well as three staff members at the school, on Monday morning. Police fatally shot Hale, who is believed to be a former pupil at the elementary school, 14 minutes after the emergency call was made.

“Why would I regret a photograph with my family exercising my rights to bear arms?” Mr Ogles asked in response to a question from NBC News. He has since deleted the photo from his Facebook account.

The victims of the shooting were nine-year-olds Hallie Scruggs – daughter of Chad Scruggs, the pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church – and Evelyn Dieckhaus and William Kinney.

Katherine Koonce, who had been head of the school since July 2016, was also killed, as well as substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, 61, and Mike Hill, 61, a custodian at the school.

Police said investigators believe Hale had “some resentment for having to go to that school”. They said the shooter gained entry by firing into glass doors and was armed with two “assault-style” weapons as well as a handgun, two of which were believed to have been obtained legally in the Nashville area. A search of Hale’s home had turned up a sawed-off shotgun, a second shotgun and other unspecified evidence.

Earlier, Mr Ogles had expressed his “heartbreak” at the tragedy.

Congressman Andy Ogles, pictured here at the US Capitol Building in January.

"My family and I are devastated by the tragedy that took place at The Covenant School in Nashville this morning,” he said. “We are sending our thoughts and prayers to the families of those lost.

"As a father-of-three, I am utterly heartbroken by this senseless act of violence. I am closely monitoring the situation and working with local officials. Thank you to the brave first responders who have provided support throughout this tragedy."

Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter, Jaime, was murdered in the Parkland school shooting in Florida in 2018. Mr Guttenberg said: “The tragedy of the latest mass shooting is listening to Tennessee politicians who refuse to call it a shooting, but who engaged in behaviour that caused this to be more likely when they glorify guns.”

President Joe Biden ordered the US flag to be flown at half-mast on all federal buildings. He called the shooting a “family’s worst nightmare” and implored Congress again to pass a ban on certain semi-automatic weapons.

“It’s ripping at the soul of this nation, ripping at the very soul of this nation,” he said.