These were some of the victims of Monday’s rampage at The Covenant School in Nashville, where three students and three adults were killed.
Authorities identified the victims at the small Christian school as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney, all age 9; school head Katherine Koonce, 60; substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, 61; and school custodian Mike Hill, 61.
Investigators were still looking into the motive for the shooting as details about the lives it cut short emerged.
Evelyn “was everything a 9-year-old should be. She was in and out of our house on a regular basis playing tag,” said next-door neighbor Nick Riegal, 45, whose two children played with her.
There were often games of hangman and laughter coming from the back porch, he said. And plenty of fun times during the day and evenings.
But it was the lively outdoor theater performances, in which Evelyn and other neighborhood kids each chose a character from the Broadway hit “Hamilton,” that Riegal said he will remember most.
“They worked really hard on Hamilton,” Riegal said, adding that all of the children proudly learned 20 minutes of the popular show.
Clay Stauffer, senior minister of Woodmont Christian Church, where Evelyn’s family are members, shared a statement on the family’s behalf:
“Our hearts are completely broken,” the family said. “We cannot believe this has happened. Evelyn was a shining light in this world.”
“We appreciate all the love and support but ask for space as we grieve,” the statement added.
Evelyn’s older sister cried at a vigil Monday night at Woodmont. She could be heard saying through tears, “I don’t want to be an only child,” The Tennessean reported.