Nashville shooting victim’s friend remembers her compassion

Seven people were left dead after a school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee
She would have thought about shooter's mental health, friend says of victim
Three children and four adults, including the shooter, died in the incident

Updated: Apr 1, 2023 / 10:53 PM CDT

(NewsNation) — Dr. Katherine Koonce was one of six people killed in The Covenant School Shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, last week. In honoring her legacy, her friend and colleague spoke to NewsNation about her compassion.

“If she’d had even a minute’s pause with that shooter, she would have been as concerned for that person’s mental health in that moment as she was about her own. And I know that her first instinct was absolutely to protect her children,” said Anna Caudill, special education advocate and friend of Koonce.

Nashville police identified the victims from the shooting as: Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney, all age 9; Cynthia Peak, 61; Katherine Koonce, 60; and Mike Hill, 61. The shooter, Audrey Hale, 28, was engaged by the police and also died.

Watch the full interview with Caudill in the player above.