TOWN AND COUNTRY, Mo. — Christian schools in the St. Louis area reacted to the mass shooting at Nashville school where a gunman killed three nine-year-old students and three staff members on Monday.
Schools, both public and private, have continued to address safety and security inside their buildings as a result of the violence.
On Tuesday, Covenant Christian's senior pastor Chris Smith told 5 On Your Side he could not even imagine what his sister school in Tennessee was feeling.
Covenant Presbyterian Church has a congregation between 350 and 400 and Covenant Christian School off North Ballas Road serves about 100 to 150 students from Pre-K through 6th grade.
"We have been praying for them because we know that the Lord is near to the brokenhearted," Smith said.
A video released by Nashville police shows the shooter's car driving up to the Christian private grade school and shooting through the front doors.
They shattered the glass, walked in and began to roam the halls.
Smith said no school should take safety lightly.
"It's the world that we live in and it is the case that we have both as a church and a school we have security measures and security plans in place. We regularly review those things and we continue to do that," he said.
Every school shooting has proven unique in terms of how gunmen have been able to breach campuses.
Authorities found that the Nashville gunman had maps drawn of the school in detail, surveillance and entry points.
"We're in contact with local law enforcement and they help us as we review those security procedures and plans," Smith added.
Westminster Christian Academy's Head of School Dr. Barrett Mosbacker also provided a statement on Wednesday:
We extend our condolences and prayers to the families who have lost their loved ones, those who are injured, and the entire Nashville Covenant School community. It is appalling that such a violent and evil act has been inflicted on innocent children in this country.
The safety of our students has always been and will remain our topmost priority. Our security personnel continually assess our security protocols. We also utilize security assessment resources from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and Secret Service and we work closely with local law enforcement professionals to evaluate our security strategies. This is to ensure that we are well-prepared to protect and defend our students and staff from any potential threats. We consistently review and enhance our multilayered security protocols to strengthen our ability to deter, detect, delay, deny, and neutralize potential threats.
School leaders did not provide specifics about their practices for safety reasons.
Covenant Christian sent out an email to their families expressing condolences and encouraging them to pray.