Audrey Hale, 28, a transgender school gunner from Nashville with “high-functioning autism,” was seen speaking about her “growth as an artist” when police revealed she had drawn a cartoonish massacre manifesto detailing her twisted plan has been described in detail.
Hale shot dead three nine-year-old students and three staff members at The Covenant School in Green Hills on Monday, in what police call a “targeted assault.”
Eerie footage of Hale’s college graduation and a brief interview with the art school’s “Senior Portfolio Show” reveals the deranged killer portraying a seemingly happy personality while discussing her “growth as an artist.”
The 28-year-old was seen smiling as she took the stage at her college graduation – a stark contrast to the emotionless surveillance footage of Hale prowling the hallways of her old school.
Audrey Hale, 28, a transgender school shooter from Nashville with “high-functioning autism,” was spotted speaking about her “growth as an artist.”
The 28-year-old was also spotted smiling as she took to the stage at her college graduation – a stark contrast to the emotionless surveillance footage of Hale prowling the hallways of her old school
In the first video at the Spring 2022 Senior Portfolio Show at Nossi College of Art in Nashville, Hale said the process of becoming an artist was tough, but worth it.
“It was tough but also an amazing experience in terms of developing my creative talents and growing as an artist,” she said.
The second video features Hale beaming as she graduates from art school in a promotional video for the school.
Nashville Police Chief John Drake told CBS Mornings early Tuesday that while the investigation is still ongoing, “resentment at having to go to this school” is the most plausible motive that has emerged.
“I can’t elaborate on that because it’s unconfirmed,” he said.
Drake added that Hale’s Massacre Manifesto revealed her fondness for the arts as she drew deranged pictures detailing her plan.
“So we have a manifesto, we have a pamphlet showing exactly what she was up to, we have maps showing the point of access to the school, the weapons she would use, the clothes she would wear, it’s almost like designed a cartoon character,” she said.
“It was exactly what she was wearing during that incident and she was a former student who had connections there.”
The Nashville Police Chief reiterated that the attack felt “targeted.”
“The headmaster was murdered in the hallway, so we feel like it was deliberate and planned,” he said.
Hale was beaming when she graduated from Nossi College of Art last year
Eerie footage showed someone appearing to be in good spirits – a stark contrast to Hale as she stalked the hallways of her old Nashville school
Police revealed the passionate artist had also drawn a cartoonish massacre manifesto detailing her twisted plan
Images from Hale’s senior portfolio featured similar cartoon-like imagery
“It is so unfortunate how this investigation is proceeding – the children [also seem like they] were obviously targeted.
“Praise goes to the men and women, the two officers who went to school, for we could have had far more casualties than we had.”
Drake said the response, which took place 14 minutes after Hale first arrived on campus, and thorough training saved lives.
“They responded immediately, went in, addressed and mitigated the suspect and I also give credit to the school because for some reason the fire alarm went off so there were no children in the hallway,” he said.
“So I think they went through some kind of training, which I learned more about today, but they also played a big part in preventing more lives from being lost.”
A source close to the Hale family told The Daily Beast Monday night that Hale is autistic but highly functional.
“And announced relatively recently that she is transgender and identifies as him/her,” the source said.
While police initially described the suspect as a 28-year-old white female, a LinkedIn profile that the source confirmed to The Daily Beast as belonging to Hale listed he/him pronouns.
Drake said at a press conference Monday afternoon that Hale is transgender.
A search of Hale’s home turned up “maps of the school, detailed, so surveillance, access points and so on,” Drake said.
In a Honda Fit that Hale was driving and parked on the school campus Friday morning, police officers found “additional material written by Hale,” police said in a tweet.
Hale credited Jack Nicholson with the catchphrase from The Shining: “Here’s Johnny!”
The film follows a writer and recovering alcoholic who begins to lose his mind and endanger his family when he becomes the caretaker of a ghost-infested hotel
Hale created this image titled Being a Child Forever and Ever.
The 28-year-old, who opened fire at a Nashville school on Monday, is said to have disrupted her art as a transgender artist online.
Police said she was transgender and used the pronouns “he/his” online – although they referred to Hale, who was born female, as “she”.
Hale ran an online art site, Audrey Hale Illustrations, and described her work as: “Commercial illustration and graphic design.”
Hale also had a social media account promoting the art, where Hale referred to himself by the name Aiden.
Hale’s work included a drawing of Jack Nicholson from The Shining with lettering that included his catchphrase, “Where’s Johnny?”
The drawing had “Red Rum” written on it – murder spelled backwards. The words were written on a door in a scene from the 1980 horror film.
Hale described herself as a graphic designer and illustrator
Hale’s art featured on her illustrations page
Hale’s art page, which featured work under the Aiden name
One of Hale’s plays was titled “Mad World”.
Norma Hale (pictured, center), the mother of Audrey Hale (pictured, right), the transgender gunman who killed six people, including three nine-year-old children and three staff members, was herself a gun control advocate on social media
Hale also created an image of some feet pointing toward the sky, with one person reclining, perhaps rocking on a swing.
“To be a child forever and ever,” reads the caption.
Hale also drew cartoons for the children’s book Toys and Books.
Hale left a detailed manifesto and plan for the shoot at her home and another in her car.
Hale began her attack Monday morning when she pulled into the school parking lot just before 10 a.m.
At approximately 10:13 a.m., Hale opened fire on the Covenant School, shooting and killing Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney, all nine years old.
Substitute teacher Cynthia Peak (61), principal Dr. Katherine Koonce, 60, and caretaker Mike Hill, 61, were also killed.
A photo of Audrey Hale at Covenant School during filming
This is the moment the school’s doors shattered as Audrey Hale burst through them with one of the three guns she had brought with her, killing six people
Hale was filmed sneaking through a tiled area shortly after entering the school. She was shot dead by two police officers 14 minutes after breaking into the school after they fired on her from an adjacent church
In the Monday killings, the shooter also carried a 9mm pistol
Nashville police have released photos of the three guns used in the shooting, including two assault rifles
The second of two rifles used in the shooting was pictured by the Nashville Police Department
Koonce worked at Covenant School alongside her daughter Anna, who serves as a faculty/student assistant.
Within 14 minutes, Hale was dead when Nashville police unveiled photos of the two officers – Rex Engelbart and Michael Collazo – who shot and killed Hale.
In a statement released late Monday night, a spokesman for the school said: “Our community is heartbroken.
“We mourn a tremendous loss and are shocked by the terror that has destroyed our school and church.
“We are focused on loving our students, our families, our faculty and staff and beginning the healing process.”
Norma Hale spoke to ABC News shortly after her daughter Audrey Hale, 28, was named as the shooter.
She said: “It’s very, very difficult right now. I think I lost my daughter today.’ Norma then asked for privacy while her family grapples with the magnitude of her late daughter’s actions.
Norma’s own posts, which denounce school shootings and call for increased gun control, surfaced after Hale’s massacre at the school she once attended.
On February 21, 2018, in response to the horrors at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, Norma posted a petition on her page to make large capacity gun magazines illegal.
And on March 8, 2018, she posted a petition to keep guns out of schools, with the caption, “So important!”
Hale and her family have been described as “very kind” and “very religious.” She is pictured here with Audrey and her brother Scott
Night falls on Brightwood Avenue in Nashville, where the Hale family lives
Hallie Scruggs is seen with her father, Chad Scruggs, the pastor of the school’s affiliated Presbyterian Church
Katherine Koonce, headmistress (left), and Mike Hill, a janitor (right), were among those shot by Audrey Hale
Substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, 61, known as Cindy (right), is shown with her daughter Ellie. Peak was one of six people shot dead in Nashville on Monday
Audrey Hale, 28, opened fire at a Nashville school Monday, killing six
Hale’s LinkedIn profile suggested they were now living as a man
A high school friend of Hale’s was shocked to learn that the outgoing girl she was tracking with was behind the massacre.
The friend, who wished to remain anonymous, described Hale to as “cute and funny”.
The friend recalled her faint memories with Hale at the Nashville School of the Arts from around 2011 to 2014.
“What she did was unforgivable but when I knew her she was a sweet and fun girl,” the friend told .
“When she turned out to be trans (female to male), no one was surprised.
“She really didn’t fit the school archer archetype.
“I don’t know what would have happened to turn her into this person we see on the news.
“Everyone in my senior class is getting upset on Facebook.
“No one really saw that coming.”