Last Updated on March 27, 2023
The shooter who killed three adults and three staff members at the Covenant Christian Academy in Nashville, Tennessee left a manifesto detailing her motivations for the attack, law enforcement officials have confirmed. Audrey Hale — a biological female who identifies as male and used “he/him” pronouns — reportedly had maps of the school complete with points of entry and possible security threats.
Officials stated that Audrey Hale, a former student, entered the school on Monday morning after shooting through a door on the side of the building. Once inside, Hale killed Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney, all age 9, as well as custodian Mike Hill and substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, both 61, and school head Katherine Koonce, 60, according to a report from the New York Post.
After the killings, Hale was confronted by police and ultimately shot and killed a little over four minutes into the shooting. Police said Hale was equipped with at least two assault rifles and a handgun.
Upon searching her residence, police discovered detailed maps of the school and a manifesto detailing her plans and motivations for the attack. “We have a manifesto, we have some writings that we’re going over that pertain to this day,” Nashville Police Chief John Drake told reporters. The police chief added that Hale was “prepared to do more harm than was actually done.”
Drake also confirmed that Hale is a biological female who identifies as male and uses “he/him” pronouns. He added that officials are probing whether Hale’s trans identity played a role in the attack on Christian schoolchildren.
VIDEO: Nashville police chief confirms Audrey Hale identifies as transgender, suggests her trans identify motivated the killings: "We have a manifesto … and a map of how all of this was going to play out." pic.twitter.com/Mss0FPqnUn
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) March 27, 2023
The school was founded in 2001 as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church. Its curriculum focuses on biblical theology, where students take classes about the bible along with standard education courses, the New York Post reported. Just under 200 students are currently enrolled at the school.
This is a developing story.