The shooter of the massacre that left six victims dead, including three children, had a well-planned and targeted attack in mind as they drove to the school on Monday morning, armed with multiple weapons, to take lives.
Audrey Elizabeth Hale, 28, shoot their way into The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee before killing the school’s top administrator, a substitute teacher, a custodian, and three 9-year-olds.
But their background and motives behind the horrific crime remain unclear as more details emerge from the authorities' investigation.
Authorities described Hale as a "lone zealot", who had written a manifesto ahead of the attack which police are analysing, along with some writings, to understand the shooter's motives.
Police Chief John Drake did not disclose what drove the shooter to carry out the attack, but he mentioned that the shooter had conducted surveillance of the school and had drawn a detailed map of it, including potential entry points.
Investigators believe the shooter had "some resentment for having to go to [the private Catholic school]".
Metro Nashville police initially said that the shooter was female and "appeared to be in her teens", before clarifying their age of 28 years old.
Shortly after, it was revealed that they were transgender, and a previous student of the school they targeted.
On some social media platforms, Hale identified as a male, using pronouns he/his/him. Their mother, devastated, referred to them as her "daughter".
Norma Hale told ABC news: "It is very, very difficult right now. [...] I think I lost my daughter today."
A neighbour said that the shooter lived at the family's home with their parents, who the neighbour described as "very nice" and "very religious".
In 2022, they graduated from Nashville's Nossi College of Art & Design, having received at least one award for strong academic performance.
The school's president, Cyrus Vatandoost said of Hale: "While at our school, she was a talented artist and a good student."
But Hale had previously expressed their will to commit suicide, according to a close friend of theirs.
In a series of chilling messages to their former middle school basketball teammate, Averianna Patton they confessed that "something bad is about to happen" and that they were going to kill themselves.
"One day this will make more sense," Hale wrote. "I've left behind more than enough evidence behind. But something bad is about to happen."
They signed the messages as "Audrey (Aidan)", implying they might have been looking into transitioning from female to male and wished to use a masculine name.
Ms Patton told WTVF: "I tried to comfort and encourage her and subsequently reached out to the Suicide Prevention Help Line after being instructed to by my father at 10.08am.
"Audrey has shared with others that she had been suicidal in the past and I knew to take this serious."
So Ms Patton called Nashville's non-emergency line and was on hold for nearly seven minutes before speaking with someone who said that they would send an officer to her home. "An officer did not come to my home until 3.29pm," Patton said.
Patton said she wanted to come forward about this circumstance because she believed more urgency should have happened when she reached out to officials for help.
"After phone calls from friends and Audrey's name was released as the shooter at Covenant Nashville school, I learned that Audrey was the shooter and that she had reached out to me prior to the shooting," Patton said.
Late Monday night, police released approximately two minutes of edited surveillance video showing the shooter’s car driving up to the school from multiple angles, including one in which children can be seen playing on swings in the background.
Next, an interior view shows the glass doors to the school being shot out and the shooter ducking through one of the shattered doors.
More footage from inside shows the shooter walking through a school corridor holding a gun with a long barrel and walking into a room labelled “church office,” then coming back out.
In the final part of the footage, the shooter can be seen walking down another long corridor with the gun drawn. The shooter is not seen interacting with anyone else on the video, which has no sound.
On their Instagram profile, Hale describes themselves as an "IIIustrator and Graphic Design". They also ran an art website that included a disturbing image dedicated to “The Shining” and its backward spelling of “MURDER.”
A self-portrait of “Audrey the Artist” claimed the soon-to-be mass killer was “on a mission to change the world.”
“My illustrations usually bring a whimsical and light-hearted feel,” wrote Hale. A section of Hale’s online “AH Illustrations” portfolio is devoted to the title “Mad World” — while a prominent illustration is a homage to the threat of murder in the 1980 horror flick “The Shining.”
That illustration uses typed words to create an image of Jack Nicholson, whose lead in Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 movie is deemed one of the most chilling in film history.
Hale also appeared to draw cartoons for a children’s book, “Toys and Books,” while directing people to an Instagram page which, however, doesn't exist anymore.
Bought seven guns legally
Nashville Police Chief John Drake this evening revealed Hale purchased at least seven guns legally and locally from five different gun stores.
Three of the guns - a handgun and two AR-style weapons - were used during Monday's shooting, he said.
According to Drake, Hale’s parents told investigators they only knew about one of the guns, but they believed Hale had sold it sometime before the massacre.
“She was under care, doctor’s care, for an emotional disorder,” the police chief said, adding cops “knew nothing about the treatment she was receiving.”
“Her parents felt she should not own weapons … they were under the impression that when she sold the one weapon that she did not own any more,” Drake added.
“As it turned out, she had been hiding several weapons within the house.”
Investigators have yet to determine a motive for the shooting.
Writings by Hale, found by police, included a map of the school indicating how the shooter planned to enter the building and carry out the attack.
Other places were also mentioned in those writings and are being investigated by the FBI.
One of the children killed, Evelyn Dieckhaus, was today hailed a hero after it emerged she was shot while trying to pull the fire alarm to protect others.
Evelyn Dieckhaus, nine, was one of three kids killed by Hale.
Her family has described her as a “shining light” and said that they are “completely broken” by her death.
If you're struggling and need to talk, and you are in the UK, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch
For the US, if you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
