New Report Sheds Light on Nashville School Shooter’s Disturbing Motivations

Nashville, Tennessee – Authorities have released a final report detailing the motivations behind the March 2023 attack at The Covenant School, where a 28-year-old shooter killed three children and three adults. The attacker, identified as Audrey Hale, a transgender individual, left behind a collection of writings that provided insight into her troubled mind.

The Metro Nashville Police Department’s report revealed that rather than a comprehensive manifesto explaining the reasons for her deadly actions, Hale’s motivations were scattered across numerous notebooks, journals, and art books. The report noted that Hale began fantasizing about mass shootings as early as 2017, with an increasing obsession leading to her intent to carry out the attack.

“In this case, a manifesto didn’t exist,” the report stated. “Hale never left behind a single document explaining why she committed the attack, why she specifically targeted The Covenant, and what she hoped to gain, if anything, with the attack.”

Hale’s writings indicate that she drew inspiration from notable incidents, particularly the Columbine school shooting that took place in 1999. Investigators found more than two dozen notebooks in her possession, which reflected a pattern of detailed fantasies about mass violence, including shootings at schools and personal grievances against family members.

“Most disturbingly, she wanted the things she left behind to be shared with the world so she could inspire and teach others who were ‘mentally disordered’ like her to plan and commit an attack of their own,” the report disclosed.

According to police, Hale chose The Covenant School due to her previous history with the institution. Her personal connection to the school, combined with her belief that children would not resist, pointed to an intent for notoriety. “She wanted people to remember her after her death,” the report concluded.

The attack claimed the lives of three 9-year-olds: Hallie Scruggs, Evelyn Dieckhaus, and William Kinney. The adults killed included Katherine Koonce, 60, head of the school; Cynthia Peak, 61; and Mike Hill, 61. The report emphasizes that Hale did not voice feelings of being bullied at the school but rather recounted establishing friendships there.

As part of her attack preparations, Hale identified additional targets including the Opry Mills Mall and a stretch of Belmont Boulevard, indicating a dangerous level of planning. Investigators discovered she had practiced at a firing range and had painted the phrase “Dark Abyss” on her weapons, symbolizing her struggle with depression.

Despite her calculated efforts, Hale’s attack fell short of her own expectations. “Hale felt she would be a failure if she killed less than 10 people during the attack; in that respect, she did fail,” the report stated. However, it noted she still achieved the notoriety she sought through her extensive documentation.

Investigators concluded there was no evidence of accomplices, strengthening the narrative of Hale as an isolated perpetrator driven by her personal struggles and a desire for infamy. As Nashville continues to grieve the losses from the shooting, the report serves as a stark reminder of the complex factors underlying such tragic events.