Minnesota’s Sixth District Congressman Reacts to Nashville School Shooting

(KNSI) — Minnesota’s Sixth District Congressman Tom Emmer is reacting to the fatal shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville.

Emmer tells KNSI he is upset with what he says is President Joe Biden’s attempt to capitalize on the shooting for political gain, saying his actions are appalling. “It’s so sad with these families hurting and the country hurting, that the top politician in the country thinks that this is his opportunity to jump on his broken soapbox.”

President Biden, speaking at an unrelated event at the White House on Monday, called the shooting a “family’s worst nightmare” and implored Congress again to pass a ban on certain semi-automatic weapons.

Instead, Emmer asked people to remember those affected by the shooting, adding, “all of us should send our prayers and our hearts to these families that are hurting badly.”

Officials say the suspect had drawn a detailed school map, including potential entry points, and conducted surveillance before killing three students and three adults. She was killed by police and is believed to be a former student. There is no known motive, but Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake told reporters, “we have a manifesto, we have some writings that we’re going over that pertain to this date, the actual incident.”

The victims were identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney, all nine years old, and adults Cynthia Peak, 61; Katherine Koonce, 60; and Mike Hill, 61.

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