Here's what's known about the Covenant School trans-identified killer and her 6 victims

Katherine Koonce

A parent at The Covenant School remembered Katherine Koonce, the school’s head of school, as a “saint.”

"She did so much for those kids," a mother, who has two children enrolled at Covenant, told BBC. "And now gave her life protecting them."

"She knew every single student by name," the parent continued. "She did everything to help them when families couldn't afford things, it didn't matter. She found ways for them to stay."

Diane Button, Koonce’s friend, told The Daily Beast that she was dependable and had a big heart.

“You could always count on Katherine to show up with her giant heart and her brilliant mind. There is no doubt in my mind that she died while giving herself wholeheartedly to those children and co-workers she loved so much,” Button said.

“Katherine was a role model to me,” she continued. “She was as solid as a friend could be. Her faith was her foundation. Her family was her greatest love, yet she always wanted to work and give back so other families and children could also feel loved and cared for.”

In her welcome message on the school’s website, Koonce noted: “At the Covenant School, we are about more than simply educating our students — we are participating in the miracle of their development and seeing them transform into who they will be. Impactful teaching methods and programs, daily all-school chapel, and school-wide service-learning are the backdrop for the real work — helping children become who God intends them to be.”