Nashville Shooter Audrey Hall's Motive Remains Unknown, Police Chief States (Photo : Metropolitan Nashville Police Department)
Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake stated that despite meeting with the shooter's parents and school officials, no specific issues or problems have been identified in the perpetrator's past. "As of right now, we don't have any indication there was any problems at the school or at home," Drake informed CNN on Wednesday. "We can't confirm any type of problems at this time."
The question remains: why did 28-year-old Audrey Hale attack a private Christian school, killing three children and three adults? The brutal assault at The Covenant School on Monday morning lasted approximately 14 minutes before police shot and killed the shooter. The victims included three nine-year-olds, a custodian, a substitute teacher, and the school's head.
The shooting was the 19th at a school or university in the past three months, resulting in at least one injury, according to a CNN count. It was among 130 mass shootings in the US this year, with a minimum of four injuries, excluding the shooter. This incident marked the deadliest US school shooting since May's Uvalde, Texas, massacre, which left 21 people dead.
Though the shooter attended The Covenant School as a child, the victims appear to have been selected at random, according to police. Investigators have yet to determine a motive but have noted the attack was well-orchestrated. Authorities are currently examining a notebook containing Hale's writings for further insight.
Drake revealed that Hale had received treatment for an emotional disorder and legally purchased seven firearms in the past three years, which were hidden from her parents. Tennessee does not have a "red flag" law that would allow a judge to temporarily confiscate guns from someone deemed a threat to themselves or others. However, Drake noted that authorities were unaware of Hale's issues and that no evidence suggests she was considered a threat prior to the shooting.
"She was never committed to an institution," Drake added. Police spokesperson Don Aaron informed CNN that the shooter is believed to have received weapons training, and the department is investigating when and where it took place, as well as establishing a timeline of the shooter's actions on the day of the incident.
The tragic event at the school has reignited debates about gun control, though some legislators have conceded that immediate reforms appear improbable once again. "I can't do anything except plead with the Congress to act reasonably," President Joe Biden stated on Tuesday.
A vigil will be held on Wednesday evening for the grieving Nashville community to remember the victims. First lady Jill Biden, a lifelong educator, is expected to attend, as announced by the White House.
