Australian soap star Tammin Sursok has revealed her nine-year-old daughter Phoenix was caught up in the horrific school shooting that has shaken residents of Nashville, Tennessee.
Six people, including three children, are dead after a transgender female shooter opened fire at a church-run primary school on Monday morning.
Tammin, who lives in Nashville with husband Sean McEwen and their two daughters, revealed after the attack that her eldest child’s school was in lockdown.
The Home And Away star, 39, shared an Instagram video of herself crying as she paced in her kitchen, telling fans: ‘There’s been an active shooter in one of the schools in Nashville… It’s right next to my daughter’s school. She’s in lockdown, she’s fine.’
She described the ordeal as hitting ‘too close to home’ for many parents in America, where school shootings occur almost every year.
Australian soap star Tammin Sursok, 39, (right) has revealed her nine-year-old daughter Phoenix (left) was caught up in the horrific school shooting that has shaken residents of Nashville, Tennessee
‘I know a lot of other mothers are completely hysterical and shaking right now, because I can’t believe this keeps happening. And you always think it’s not going to happen to you,’ she wept, shaking her head in disbelief.
Hours later, she uploaded a heartfelt essay pleading with American lawmakers to overhaul firearms legislation to end mass shootings for good.
‘Our community in Nashville is in shock. My thoughts and prayers are with the families going though this unimaginable tragedy,’ she began.
Tammin, who lives in Nashville with husband Sean McEwen and their two daughters, revealed on Monday that Phoenix’s school was in lockdown, shortly after a shooter opened fire at The Covenant School, killing six people. (Tammin is pictured with husband Sean McEwen and their two daughters Lennon and Phoenix)
The Home And Away star shared an Instagram video of herself crying as she paced in her kitchen. She tearfully described the horror she felt after receiving the call that there was an active shooter within walking distance from Phoenix’s school, calling the ordeal ‘a parent’s worst nightmare’
‘Today I got a call that I never thought would happen but at the same time expected because I live in the USA.’
Tammin described the horror she felt after receiving the call there was an active shooter within walking distance from Phoenix’s school, calling the ordeal ‘a parent’s worst nightmare.’
She went on to reiterate the often-used adage ‘guns don’t kill people, people kill people’, before questioning how assault rifles, like the ones the shooter was carrying, are still being sold to civilians.
Hours later, she uploaded a heartfelt essay pleading with American lawmakers to overhaul firearms legislation and end mass shootings for good
She went on to reiterate the often-used adage ‘guns don’t kill people, people kill people’, before questioning how assault rifles, like the ones the shooter was carrying, are still being sold to civilians
‘In most states, an American can buy an AR-15 after their 18th birthday. The AR-15 (and military style weaponry) is not designed for hunting or ‘sport.’ It’s meant to kill people. Lots of people all at once,’ she wrote.
‘How is this allowed? Please explain it to me? How? I’m numb. I’m angry. I’m at a loss. Most of us are.’
Tammin concluded by calling for both sides of the political aisle to unite on the issue of protecting children from school shooters.
Tammin is known for her appearances on Australian soap operas Home And Away and Neighbours, as well as American TV series Pretty Little Liars
Six people – including three children – are dead after a transgender female shooter opened fire at The Covenant School in Nashville, killing three nine-year-old children and three staff members on Monday.
The shooter was 28-year-old Audrey Hale, who at one time attended the school.
While Hale’s motive is still unknown, police say she had detailed, drawn maps of the school and had been surveilling it for some time.
Six people – including three children – are dead after a transgender female shooter opened fire at The Covenant School in Nashville, killing three nine-year-old children and three staff members on Monday. (Pictured: School buses with children arrive at Woodmont Baptist Church, Nashville, to be reunited with their families after the shooting)
‘We have a manifesto, we have some writings. We have a map drawn out of how this was all going to take place,’ Nashville Police John Chief Drake said.
The small school is run by a church and does not employ a school resource officer.
Police said she identified as transgender, and online profiles show Audrey used ‘he/him’ pronouns.
Shortly before 10.13am, the woman entered the school through a side door and began opening fire on the second floor.
By 10.27am, she had been shot dead. She was armed with two assault-style rifles and a handgun.
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