The Officers Hailed as Heroes for Taking Down a School Shooter in Nashville
The officers who took down an active shooter at a school in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 27, 2023, are being hailed today as heroes. The Metro Nashville Police Department released the body camera footage on March 28, 2023, less than 24 hours after the shootings.
The Heroes: Officers Rex Engelbert and Michael Collazo
Officers Rex Engelbert and Michael Collazo are the two officers who fired at the active shooter. Officer Engelbert is a four-year veteran, while Officer Collazo has served for nine years. Both officers acted with authority and ran toward the gunshots. The officers are seen on their respective body cameras quickly searching the rooms before coming upon the suspect. Officer Engelbert fired the first shots while his teammate Officer Collazo fired second.
The Shooter: Audrey Hale/Aiden
The suspected shooter, who police identified as Audrey Hale, 28, was a former student at the school. Hale went by the name Aiden and identified as a transgender man. Hale died in the shootout. While news of a manifesto spread on March 28, 2023, the police chief said it was too soon to determine a motive for the shooting.
Social Media Reaction to the Body Camera Footage
The body cam footage was posted to YouTube around 10am on March 28, 2023. A link to the footage was posted to Twitter, along with photos of Engelbert and Collazo. Most commenters have commended the men and their colleagues for their heroic behavior.
One user wrote: “Im crying as I watch this. How did we get here?
“MNPD I am grateful for each and every one of you.
“I can only imagine the amount of courage it takes to run into danger ever single day.
“Thank you isn’t enough.”
