Police in Nashville on Tuesday stated that the suspect concerned within the Christian non-public college capturing that left six folks, together with three youngsters, useless was being handled for an “emotional dysfunction.”
Talking at a information convention, Nashville Police Chief John Drake stated 28-year-old Audrey Elizabeth Hale, who police officers earlier stated was biologically feminine and used male pronouns, “was below medical doctors take care of an emotional dysfunction … legislation enforcement knew nothing concerning the remedy she was receiving,” the chief stated. Drake didn’t elaborate on the dysfunction, or the care or if she was receiving any treatment.
When requested about whether or not she posed a hazard to others beforehand and the way she got here into possession of firearms, Drake stated, “Because it stands we had no concept who this particular person was or if she existed.”
Her mother and father weren’t conscious that she owned firearms, however Drake stated that it was later discovered after the capturing that she was “hiding a number of weapons” in her mother and father’ home. Hale legally bought “seven firearms from 5 totally different gun shops” in Nashville, Drake stated.
“We additionally don’t have a motive at the moment,” Drake stated. “We really feel that the scholars that had been focused had been randomly focused. There was not any specific pupil that she was on the lookout for on the time.”
Drake additionally elaborated on an alleged “manifesto” written by Hale, saying there have been “different places” that she had recognized aside from The Covenant College. She additionally made a drawing about how she would enter the college, he stated, including that the Nashville Police Division and FBI are investigating.
When officers arrived, they famous that Hale could have had “some coaching” on how one can shoot a firearm and famous that she appeared to have shot at responding police autos, Drake stated. Hale additionally stood away from the glass from an higher degree of the college to hide herself as she fired at officers, he stated, including that she did in order to not turn out to be “a simple goal.”
Police have launched movies of the capturing, together with edited surveillance footage that exhibits the shooter’s automobile driving as much as the college, glass doorways being shot out, and the shooter ducking by certainly one of them.
Extra video from Officer Rex Engelbert’s bodycam exhibits a girl greeting police outdoors as they arrive at The Covenant College on Monday. “The youngsters are all locked down, however we have now two children that we don’t know the place they’re,” she tells police. “OK, sure, ma’am,” Engelbert replies.
Later, officers are seen climbing stairs to the second ground and getting into a foyer space. “Transfer in,” an officer yells. Then a barrage of gunfire is heard. “Get your arms away from the gun,” an officer yells twice. Then the shooter is proven immobile on the ground.
Police earlier stated Hale had drawn an in depth map of the college, together with potential entry factors, and performed surveillance of the constructing earlier than finishing up the bloodbath, authorities stated.
When Drake was requested about whether or not Hale focused the Christian non-public college due to an animus in opposition to Christians or for non secular causes, the police chief acknowledged he can’t verify that info. He did observe that the Easter vacation season is quickly approaching.
On Monday, Drake stated that Hale was born feminine and recognized as transgender. Nevertheless, a police spokesperson later advised The Epoch Instances that it’s not clear how Hale recognized, but additionally advised The Related Press that she used male-identifying pronouns.
In response to a LinkedIn profile that purportedly belonged to Hale, she opened a graphic design enterprise final 12 months and used “he/him” pronouns. Surveillance footage that was launched by the police division on Monday evening confirmed Hale, who was clad in a camouflage vest, sporting a pink backwards cap.
In a press release to The Related Press on Tuesday, police spokesperson Kristin Mumford acknowledged that Hale “was assigned feminine at beginning. Hale did use male pronouns on a social media profile.”
“We do know that she was a pupil at that church at one level,” Drake stated, referring to the college.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
