the “emotional disorders”, the 7 hidden weapons, and the manifesto of Audrey Hale, the killer of the massacre – breaking latest news

Audrey Hale wanted to die and wanted to kill. He achieved his objective by murdering three children and three adults at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, then was stopped by fire from officers. Forever. He could have shot himself in the head and instead he turned into a terrorist. Determined, relentless, prepared, with a brief concession to feelings through a farewell message on Instagram.

The former transgender student wrote a few words to her friend Averianna Patton, with whom she had played on the same basketball team: «I decided to die today, this post is like a suicide note. You’ll probably hear about me on the news after I’m dead… I love you. We will see you in another life… All of this will one day make more sense, I have left enough evidence behind me». Disturbing words immediately reported by Averianna on the emergency numberhowever there was no time to know where Audrey was.

It was 9.57. Sixteen minutes later the police received reports of gunfire. Another 14 will pass before the epilogue, with the agents raiding, scouring classroom after classroom quickly and then they intercept the killer on the first floor. Sequence filmed by a policeman’s body-camera, including the final shooting in front of a large window, between screams and alarm sirens.

Chaotic scenes, followed by hasty reconstructions. The authorities, compared to other episodes, have said a lot without paying attention to the details. First they talked about a teenager, then a 28-year-old woman, then a female transgender, finally a male. Updated versions as they put the pieces together and collected evidence. Audrey – who preferred to sign Aiden and presented herself as a male – left a “manifesto” recovered after the massacre. For now, many technical details have emerged about the attack, but little about the reasons. The police speak of a possible grudge against the school she had attended. Many comrades describe Hale as a quiet person, sweet, reserved. But they had lost touch long before her change. She lived with her parents, who were “very religious” according to a neighbor of hers. An unnamed source told al Daily Mail that parents “couldn’t accept” that Audrey was transgender and that only when she left the house could she dress as a man. Police said yesterday she was under the care of a doctor for “emotional disturbances”.

A
verianna adds that he had already shown suicidal tendencies, an aspect ignored or underestimated by those close to him. Something that motivated the meticulous planning of the massacre. He monitored the complex, he chose it because it was less well defended (according to the writings found by the police, he would have considered and then rejected hitting even «family members and a shopping mall»).

He drew a map, which showed the school, the weapons he would use, the clothes he would wear, “like in a comic book,” said the police chief (Hale had a degree in graphic design and a lot of artistic talent). He wore tactical gloves to get a good grip and camouflage pants. Plenty of ammo in a vest. He shots for a couple of rifles, one of which is the AR 15 type – which appeared in so many massacres – and a pistol. He had legally purchased 7 weapons in five different shops and had hidden them in his parents’ house. She knew the main entrance was locked, so she shot the windows down.

On the morning of the massacre, her mother Norma, 61, had seen Audrey leaving with a red bag and asked what was inside. She heard some apology. If she had opened it she would have found the weapons. Norma shared a campaign on Facebook to keep guns out of schools and ban high-capacity magazines on Facebook in 2018. But she said she didn’t know that her “daughter” still owned guns: in the past she had a gun, she believed she had sold it. “It is a difficult moment – ​​she told reporters -. I lost my daughter.”