The top of the Christian elementary faculty in Nashville who was killed in a capturing there on Monday was described by mates as sensible, loving and a uncommon feminine chief inside a male-led spiritual tradition.

“If there was any hassle in that college, she would run to it, not from it,” Jackie Bailey stated of her buddy Katherine Koonce, head of The Covenant Faculty. “She was making an attempt to guard these youngsters … That’s simply what I imagine.”

Koonce was one among six individuals killed within the capturing in Tennessee, together with three 9-year-old youngsters recognized by police as Hallie Scruggs, Evelyn Dieckhaus and William Kinney. Additionally killed had been Cynthia Peak, 61, a substitute trainer, and Mike Hill, 61, a custodian.

Hallie Scruggs was the daughter of Chad Scruggs, the lead pastor on the Covenant Presbyterian Church, in response to an announcement launched by a Presbyterian Church in Dallas the place the elder Scruggs had served as an affiliate pastor.

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“We love the Scruggs household and mourn with them over their valuable daughter Hallie,” Park Cities Presbyterian Church Senior Pastor Mark Davis stated in an announcement. “Collectively, we belief within the energy of Christ to attract close to and provides us the consolation and hope we desperately want.”

Cynthia Peak was described as a “candy particular person from a candy household” by Chuck Owen, who instructed The Related Press in a phone interview that they grew up collectively in Leesville, Louisiana, and that Peak was a lifelong buddy.

When he heard that Peak was killed within the capturing, “It took my breath away,” Owen stated. “You don’t anticipate one thing like this. It simply took the wind out of me.”

Owen described Peak as “a loving, caring and attentive particular person.”

When Owen’s sister handed away, “Cindy obtained right here as fast as anyone else,” Owen stated. “She obtained right here very, in a short time to grieve my sister with the remainder of us. It’s a small group, a small tight knit group. She was ever current in my sister’s life and he or she’s been very attentive to my household since my sister handed away.”

Peak was additionally a religious Christian.

“She instructed me that she obtained saved in school and that God’s love modified her life,” Owen stated, including it was acceptable that she was educating at a Christian faculty.

The Covenant Faculty in Nashville has about 200 college students from preschool by means of sixth grade, in addition to roughly 50 employees members, in response to its web site.

Earlier than Koonce took the highest position with Covenant, Anna Caudill, a former artwork trainer, labored along with her for nearly a decade at Christ Presbyterian Academy, one other Christian faculty within the space related to a Presbyterian Church in America congregation.

“She was an absolute dynamo and one of many smartest ladies I’ll ever know,” stated Caudill, recalling how Koonce excelled at her day job whereas parenting her youngsters, pursuing her masters after which her PhD, and writing a e book.

For Caudill, who grew up in a number of male-led Christian denominations, Koonce had outstanding management expertise and was the primary lady in such a setting to encourage her to continue to learn and pursuing her life targets. When Caudill launched her nonprofit advocating for particular schooling sources and different help, she stated Koonce was one of many first to donate financially to it.

She stated Koonce cherished her job at Covenant and he or she was cherished by college students and their households.

“She wasn’t Marvel Lady, however I by no means noticed the 2 in the identical place,” she stated.