Evelyn Dieckhaus obituary – Death: Hero schoolgirl died shot and killed

A tragic incident occurred at a private Christian school on Monday when a transgender gunman, identified as Audrey Hale, opened fire on classmates. Among the victims were Evelyn Dieckhaus, a 9-year-old girl who was shot dead as she tried to pull the fire alarm for help, and Will Kinney and Hallie Scruggs, both also 9 years old, who lost their lives in the shooting. The families of the victims have been left heartbroken by their senseless deaths.

Will Kinney’s family described him as a kind and inclusive child who loved his siblings and was always happy to host friends of all ages. A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the Kinney family during this difficult time. Three other members of the family were working at the school during the shooting but were fortunately unharmed.

In addition to the young victims, three adults were also killed in the shooting: substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, chef Mike Hill, and Katherine Koonce. Mike’s daughter, who had worked at the school for over a decade, expressed her disbelief at losing her father in such a tragic way.

The shooter, Audrey Hale, was born female but identifies as male and prefers the pronouns he/him. Police have confirmed that Hale had previously attended the school but have not yet determined a motive for the shooting. Chief John Drake revealed that Hale was suffering from an emotional disorder at the time of the shooting and is currently receiving medical attention.

The families of the victims have requested that the media refrain from mentioning Hale’s name in order to avoid glorifying their actions. This is a heartbreaking tragedy that has affected the entire community, and our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives.