Two students have died and two others were injured after a shooting at Antioch High School in Nashville on Wednesday, January 22. According to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), the shooting happened around 11:11 a.m. The suspect, 17-year-old Solomon Henderson, entered the school’s cafeteria with a pistol and shot 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante, as well as another student. After the shooting, Henderson took his own life.
The second injured student, a 17-year-old male, was grazed by a bullet on his arm. He was treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and later released. Another male student had a facial injury from a fall during the chaos, but it was not from a gunshot. At the time of the shooting, two school resource officers were in the building but were not near the cafeteria.
The MNPD’s SWAT team has cleared the school while they continue to investigate the incident. The police are being assisted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The investigation is expected to continue into the early morning hours.
To help families reunite with their children, a reunification center was set up at 3754 Murfreesboro Pike. Buses are taking students to the location, and parents can call 615-401-1712 for information. Regular bus routes will start running at 2:15 p.m. for students who need to go home. Those who drove to school will be able to pick up their cars once police clear the parking lot.
After the shooting, Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell expressed his sadness and thanked the first responders and school staff. He emphasized that the community would provide support for those affected. Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) Director Dr. Adrienne Battle, who was once the principal of Antioch High, called it a heartbreaking day for the school and community. She stated that they will investigate the tragedy and work on improving safety measures to prevent similar events in the future.
As a result of the shooting, Antioch High will remain closed for the rest of the week. School officials are also arranging grief counseling for students and staff.
