Funerals for Nashville shooting victims begin with Evelyn Dieckhaus

As the Tennessee state capital mourns the loss of six lives in yet another act of gun violence on Monday, funerals for Nashville shooting victims began Friday with Evelyn Dieckhaus, the first nine-year-old Nashville shooting victim, CNN reported.

The burial came after the publication of terrifying 911 phone recordings showing the victims pleading for help on the line in frightened voices. The sounds of the students screaming and gunshots could also be heard during the call.

The Nashville school shooter, Audrey Hale, 28, was a graduate of the Covenant School who also killed two other nine-year-old students, William Kinney and Hallie Scruggs.

Katherine Koonce, 60, head of the school, Cynthia Peak, 61, a substitute teacher and Mike Hill, 61, guardian of the school, were also killed in the shooting.

Police, after rushing to the scene, killed Hale and recovered assault-style weapons and a handgun.

Clay Stauffer, senior minister at Woodmont Christian Church in Nashville told CBS that “Evelyn was a very special little girl. She was a shining light, a beacon of joy."

Elvin will be laid to rest on Saturday in a private family burial.

"The way that we've been moving forward is by coming together, loving each other and supporting each other. Crying with each other and praying with each other. And we're gonna get through this", Stauffer noted.

From the calls released by the authorities, a woman who identified her as a teacher said: "Please send someone soon."

In response, the dispatcher said that the police were already at the school and trying to get to you.

Meanwhile, the teacher said that she may have to fight with the shooter Hale as she said there were 17 children in the room.

According to the phone call, the dispatcher instructed the teacher to stay where she was and not to come out unless there was a need to fight or a chance to flee.

The Nashville school shooting was the 19th in any school or university of this year.