Josselin Corea Escalante; Two fatalities reported in Antioch High School shooting; victims identified.
Josselin Corea Escalante – Authorities are investigating a tragic shooting at Antioch High School that occurred Wednesday morning, January 22, 2025, at 11:09 a.m., leaving two students dead and others injured.
Details of the Incident
Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) identified the deceased as 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante, who was fatally shot in the school cafeteria, and 17-year-old Solomon Henderson, who died by suicide after carrying out the shooting. Henderson was an active student at Antioch High School.
A third student, a male, sustained a grazing gunshot wound to his arm and is currently in stable condition at Vanderbilt Hospital. Another male student suffered facial injuries from a fall and is being treated at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
Sequence of Events
The shooting took place in the school cafeteria, where Henderson reportedly entered and opened fire before turning the gun on himself. Authorities revealed that he had first gone into a nearby restroom where the weapon was located before returning to the cafeteria to carry out the attack.
Police, along with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and Tennessee Highway Patrol, are conducting a thorough investigation. They have emphasized the importance of reporting potential warning signs, urging, “If you see or hear something, say something.”
Community Impact
The incident has devastated the Antioch High School community, which has a student population of about 2,000. One parent on the scene expressed the collective heartbreak, saying, “I can’t imagine. There are parents whose two children won’t be coming home tonight.”
Reunification and Communication Efforts
To assist families, MNPD has established a reunification site for parents at Ascension Medical Group, located at 3754 Murfreesboro Pike. Parents have been asked to avoid coming directly to the school to ensure safety and facilitate investigation efforts.
However, communication has been challenging due to the school’s linguistic diversity, as over 40 languages are spoken among the student population. This language barrier has complicated efforts to keep everyone informed about the unfolding situation.
Security Measures and Concerns
Antioch High School had implemented the Omni-Alert security system about a year ago. This advanced AI-driven system is designed to detect firearms through security cameras and alert officials. Unfortunately, the system failed to identify the weapon in this case until the shooting had already begun.
Additionally, two School Resource Officers (SROs) were on-site at the time of the incident. However, by the time they were alerted and arrived at the cafeteria, the shooting had already occurred, underscoring the rapid nature of the tragedy.
Community Response
The school and local authorities are working to provide support to students, staff, and families in the aftermath of the shooting. The focus remains on ensuring safety, addressing communication barriers, and conducting a comprehensive investigation into how the incident unfolded.
This tragic event has shaken the Antioch community, highlighting the need for vigilance and ongoing evaluation of school safety measures.
