Nashville police seek motive after school shooter kills six

NASHVILLE: Nashville police worked on Tuesday to pin down a motive behind a murderous rampage that saw three elementary school pupils and three staff shot dead by a heavily armed former student in a carefully planned and executed assault.

The shooter, who was killed by police, had prepared maps detailing surveillance and entry points at the school, and also left a written manifesto that suggested further attacks at other locations were planned.

Among the victims were an eight-year-old and two nine year olds, and two teachers, one of whom was the longtime head of the Covenant School, a small Christian academy for about 200 students. Officials named the shooter as Audrey Hale, saying the 28-year-old was born female but identified as transgender.

In a chilling video released by Nashville police, Hale is seen shooting through a set of glass doors into the school, before stalking the empty halls with an assault rifle drawn as emergency alarm lights flash. Armed with two assault rifles and a handgun, Hale, wearing a black military-style vest, camouflage pants and red baseball cap, advanced through the building, opening doors and walking through what appears to be the front desk area.

Police said at least two of the weapons were purchased legally, adding Hale had multiple rounds of ammunition and was “prepared for confrontation with law enforcement.” Former schoolmate Averianna Patton told CNN of a message that Hale sent on Instagram on the morning of the shooting.

“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.” Patton said she called police to alert them at about the time the attack started.

In the search for a motive, Nashville police chief John Drake told NBC News that “there´s some belief that there was some resentment for having to go to that school. “She targeted random students in the school... whoever she came in contact with, she fired rounds,” he added.

Officers were on the scene within about 15 minutes of the first emergency call at around 10 am (1500 GMT), engaging Hale, who returned fire before being shot dead. Asked whether Hale´s gender identity may have been a factor, police said they were investigating all leads.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden said on Tuesday in the wake of the latest school shooting that most Americans think owning the types of military style rifles regularly used to carry out such massacres is “bizarre.”

“The majority of the American people think having assault weapons is bizarre, it´s a crazy idea. They´re against that,” he told reporters at the White House when asked how to respond to the incident in Nashville, where a heavily armed former student gunned down three nine-year-old children and three staff before being killed by police.