The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) confirmed on Monday that three adults and three children were fatally shot inside Covenant School, in Nashville. The mass shooting made headlines due to its devastation and also due to controversies regarding Joe Biden’s ice cream comment and the shooter’s gender identity.
The Nashville violence marks the 13th school shooting since January 1, 2023, and the 129th mass shooting in the United States in 2023, which has long tussled with gun control. In time as this, President Joe Biden’s bizarre joke before his official statement regarding the shooting left people in shock.
Joe Biden made an awkward ice cream joke before addressing the Nashville tragedy
Biden after 6 people dead in Nashville shooting of private Christian school:
"I came down because I heard there was chocolate chip ice cream."pic.twitter.com/IS3sRSKW4O
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) March 27, 2023
The United States president, Joe Biden made an appearance amongst a gathering of women-owned businesses. During the event, President opened his speech with a joke about chocolate chip ice cream. He also addressed the tragic Nashville school shooting in the same appearance and received public backlash for insensitivity.
President Biden introduced himself as Joe Biden, husband of Dr. Jill Biden. He also mentioned enjoying Jeni’s chocolate chip ice cream and said he only attended the event because he heard there will be chocolate chip ice cream.
‘My name is Joe Biden. I’m Dr. Jill Biden’s husband And I eat Jeni’s ice cream — chocolate chip. I came down because I heard there was chocolate chip ice cream. By the way, I have a whole refrigerator full upstairs. DO You think I’m kidding? I’m not,”
Further, the president addressed the shooting by calling it sick, and heartbreaking, and that it is ripping the soul of the nation. He also encouraged Congress to pass an assault weapon ban in light of the Nashville school shooting tragedy as the culprit was reported for owning two assault weapons and a pistol.
https://twitter.com/kristileilani/status/1640436914036809728?t=C-PUOkzQdJte93Sy1MRL8g&s=19
Joe Biden’s chocolate chip ice cream comment before addressing the tragedy is largely being condemned by the public and politicians. However, some Netizens pointed out that President was talking about the Women’s Business Summit when he mentioned the ice cream and it wasn’t in relation to the tragic mass shooting.
Meanwhile, Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie expressed his disappointment regarding the incident to Fox News. Christie mentioned that misunderstanding doesn’t cover the statement of President Biden when he is aware of the scenes of family, and friends of pupils in the school following the tragedy.
This is the second controversy regarding the Nashville school shooting along with the gender identity conflicts of the culprit. The police department identified the person behind the tragic Nashville school shooting as 28-year-old Audery Hale. Following the revelations of the shooter’s identity, many people tried to find further details about her.
The culprit of the Nashville school shooting, Audrey Hale is reportedly a transgender person
I’m on the ground here at the Covenant School in Nashville.
Based on the trans shooter’s manifesto, these families believe these children’s murders were HATE crimes against Christians.
This environment is incredibly sad.
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) March 27, 2023
According to Newsweek, many high-profile conservatives got to know about Audrey Hale’s LinkedIn profile which mentions He/Him pronounces. Which rose speculations about Hale being a member of the Trans community. This discovery led to many people shaming the transgender community and accusing them of multiple violent cases.
Meanwhile, many other Netizens debated the importance of the culprit’s gender identity in the case. Due to the heated atmosphere online, Nashville Police Chief, John Drake addressed the gender identity controversy in his official statement during Monday’s press conference.
He confirmed that Audrey Hale did identify as a transgender person. However, he didn’t disclose how that is related to the violent school shooting. Chief Drake mentioned there is some theory regarding the matter and police are investigating all the available leads.
He mentioned that police are probing into all the potential theories while talking about the motive. He also confirmed that Audrey Hale was a former student of the school as they found detailed maps of the premise from the possessions of the culprit.
The Nashville shooting of Covenant School
Active shooter Audrey Elizabeth Hale, 28, drove this Honda Fit to the Covenant Church/school campus this morning and parked. MNPD detectives searched it and found additional material written by Hale. pic.twitter.com/ftGX74ecKr
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) March 28, 2023
MNPD Director of Media Relations Don Aaron shared basic details about the case in an earlier press conference. Police received calls about an active shooter at Covenant school at 10:13 AM. They immediately responded to the emergency and the culprit Audrey Hale died around 10:27 AM.
Hale owned two assault-style rifles and one handgun. Until now, three deaths of adults and three children is confirmed by the police department. The adult victims included Cynthia Peak, 61, Katherine Koonce, 60, and Mike Hill, 61. Along with the 9-year-old children, Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney.
The Nashville school shooting tragedy of Covenant school adds to the 33 reported mass shootings of this year. According to Everytown Research and Policy, these attacks have noted 25 injuries and at least 8 deaths. They also confirmed that there were 177 school gunfire instances on school grounds in the past year alone.
What is your opinion on the ice cream remark of Joe Biden and the importance of the culprit’s gender identity in the case? Let us know in the comments below and follow Spiel Times for more latest news updates.
