Tennessee Gun Violence: The Victims, the Laws, and What Must Change
Tennessee, we have a problem.
And it’s not some distant tragedy, not some “big city” violence we can ignore.
It’s here.
It’s in our schools. Our grocery stores. Our homes.
We whisper Second Amendment prayers while we bury our babies.
A State Soaked in Blood
Tennessee has been bathed in gunfire, over and over again. These are just a few of the tragedies:
The Covenant School, Nashville (March 27, 2023)
A former student armed with two assault-style rifles and a handgun entered The Covenant School and opened fire.
- Three nine-year-old children were gunned down in their classrooms.
- Three adults, including the headmistress, were murdered while protecting students.
Among the victims was Cynthia Peak, a longtime friend of First Lady Maria Lee. She was supposed to have dinner with the Lees that night.
Governor Bill Lee personally knew a victim. And yet, he did nothing.
Austin-East Magnet High School, Knoxville (April 12, 2021)
Knoxville police responded to reports of an armed student inside a restroom. 17-year-old Anthony Thompson Jr. was shot and killed by police. A school resource officer was also wounded.
Thompson’s death was one of five fatal shootings involving Austin-East students in 2021 alone.
Other Tennessee School Shootings Since 2000
- Ooltewah High School (2016): A 16-year-old’s gun discharged in his backpack during lunch.
- Chattanooga College (2015): Two people shot outside the campus.
- Memphis Central High School (2011): A 17-year-old was shot outside the school.
- Jere Baxter Middle School (2010): A 14-year-old student shot himself in a classroom.
- Hamilton High School (2008): A student was shot in the leg on campus.
How Did We Get Here?
Somewhere along the way, we decided that guns deserve more love and protection than our children.
And while we grieve, while we hold each other and weep, the money flows—straight from the gun lobby to lawmakers’ pockets.
The Laws We Keep Letting Die
MaKayla’s Law
In 2015, 8-year-old MaKayla Dyer was shot and killed by an 11-year-old neighbor who found an unsecured gun.
The law named after her? It would have held adults responsible for leaving loaded guns within a child’s reach.
It failed. Because apparently, demanding basic accountability is too much to ask.
Reckless Storage Law
A simple, common-sense proposal: If you store a gun so poorly that a child finds it and takes it to school, you should be held responsible.
Still sitting in the legislature.
Permitless Carry
In 2021, Governor Lee signed a law allowing permitless carry, even though law enforcement opposed it.
Since then, Tennessee has seen an increase in gun thefts, gun deaths, and violent crime.
“I begged them to listen,” said one mother of a Covenant victim. “They looked me in the eye and told me they’d pray for me. I don’t need prayers. I need laws.”
Where Does This End?
How many more graves before we love our children more than we love our weapons?
How many school shootings? How many funeral processions? How many families shattered beyond repair?
I know Tennessee. I know our people. We take care of our own.
But right now, we’re failing.
If we really want to protect our children, we have to stop treating guns like sacred relics and start treating them like the deadly tools they are.
We have to demand accountability.
We have to act.
What Can You Do?
We don’t have to accept this as normal. We don’t have to live in fear.
- ✔ Join local advocacy groups. Moms Demand Action is fighting for common-sense gun laws.
- ✔ Vote. Support candidates who prioritize gun safety over gun money.
- ✔ Secure your own firearms. If you own a gun, lock it up. A child’s life might depend on it.
Tennessee, We Must Do Better.
Because if we don’t? The graves will keep getting smaller.
And the blame? It’s ours.
