The father of 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante has said he is beyond devastated after his daughter was killed in the Antioch school shooting on Wednesday.
Escalante died after 17-year-old Solomon Henderson opened fire on her just after 11 a.m. in the cafeteria of Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee, before turning the gun on himself. He also injured two others.
The Context
Gun violence in schools continues to devastate communities and leave families shattered, sparking urgent calls for stronger safety measures as well as for a deeper national conversation about how to address the root causes of this escalating crisis.
The Antioch shooting was the first school shooting to occur in the U.S. this year, based on CNN‘s school shooting database. In 2024, there were 83 incidents, the most of any year that was tracked.
What To Know
Escalante’s father, German Corea, spoke with WTVF in Spanish in the aftermath of the shooting.
“Every day I told her how much I loved her,” he said. He added that when he sent her to school on , he never imagined she wouldn’t come home.
“It’s not fair,” he said.
He also shared that she consistently brought home good grades and loved playing soccer, adding that she was kindhearted and loving. He also mentioned that while she was an older sister, she would always be daddy’s little girl.
Escalante’s aunt also spoke to WTVF, telling the station that the family is devastated and at a loss for words.
“Oh God. She was my girl,” she said. “She was a very calm girl and well-behaved. She had good grades in school. She was a girl who loved her parents and all her family.”
The family is now calling for increased security at the school, expressing frustration that the response to school shootings always feels the same.
Who Was Solomon Henderson?
The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) identified Henderson as the 17-year-old male who fatally shot Josselin Corea Escalante at Antioch High School on Wednesday.
It is not known if there was a connection between Henderson and Escalante. He was a student at Antioch High School. His motive has not been revealed.
Channel 2 Now reported that Henderson was in the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) and had been bullied.
When asked by a reporter if the shooter had a criminal history, police said there may have been “one prior incident” but did not offer any details.
Police said on Wednesday they were examining “very concerning online writings and social media posts” linked to a teenage gunman.
Timeline: What Happened in Antioch High School Shooting?
Henderson allegedly took a bus to Antioch High School on Wednesday morning and retrieved a gun from a restroom before making his way to the cafeteria at around 11 a.m., police said.
He then “confronted” Escalante and fired multiple rounds at her using a pistol, killing her, said police. Two others were injured during the shooting.
Henderson then turned the gun on himself, fatally shooting himself. He is believed to have livestreamed himself on the online platform Kick and showed the firearm before the shooting. The company said that the account and video were “rapidly banned.”
“Violence has no place on Kick. We are actively working with law enforcement and taking all appropriate steps to support their investigation,” Kick said in a statement.
Police Chief John Drake said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon said it is unknown if the shooting was “targeted or if it was intended for multiple people.”
In October, a 16-year-old Antioch High School student was arrested after school resource officers and school officials discovered through social media that he had taken a gun to school the day before.
When he was stopped the following morning, officials found a loaded gun in his pants, police said, according to The Associated Press.
What We Know About Antioch School Shooting Victims
Two people were also injured in the shooting at Antioch High School on Wednesday.
One of the victims, a 17-year-old male, sustained a graze wound to the arm. He was taken to the hospital and has now been released.
The other victim, a boy, sustained a facial injury but was not shot, according to MNPD. He is currently receiving treatment for this injury. Police did not name the victims.
What’s Next
Police are conducting a trace on the gun used in the shooting. Antioch High School will remain closed for the rest of the week.
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