Human chain event in Nashville to mark anniversary of Covenant School shooting

Thousands are expected to form a human chain across midtown Nashville on March 27 to mark the one-year anniversary of the deadly Covenant School shooting.

Nonpartisan group Voices for a Safer Tennessee is hosting the event, which mirrors a demonstration that drew thousands held last April in the wake of the shooting.

The shooting left three children and three adult staff members dead. It captured international attention and drove weeks of protests and demonstrations in and around the Tennessee Capitol as lawmakers finished their legislative session. Voices for a Safer Tennessee formed in the fallout of the shooting to support measures such as temporary transfer laws, stricter gun storage rules and stronger background checks.

This year, organizers hope to draw 13,000 people to link arms and form a four-mile human chain from the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt up Charlotte Avenue and to the Tennessee state Capitol. The event, dubbed "Linking Arms for Change," will run from 5-5:30 p.m.

"Voices for a Safer Tennessee asks the community to wear red and link arms to honor the memory of the Covenant victims and the hundreds of Tennessee lives lost to preventable firearm tragedies over the last year," a release from the group stated. "This event will demonstrate the hope felt by Tennesseans that together we can strengthen policies that will lead to safer communities across our state."

At the same time as the human chain, there will also be music by Old Crow Medicine Show lead singer Ketch Secor and Christian music artist Blessing Offor at Musician's Corner in Centennial Park. Faith leaders from the community will also speak there.

Voices for a Safer Tennessee is a coalition of 25,000 people across all 95 counties in the state, according to the release.

Those who wish to join the event are asked to register at SaferTN.org/events/LinkingArms2024.

Reach children's reporter Rachel Wegner at RAwegner@tennessean.com or follow her on X, Threads and Bluesky @RachelAnnWegner.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Covenant School shooting: Nashville human chain planned for anniversary