The shooter behind the tragic 2023 Nashville school attack had been planning the massacre for years, driven by a desire for notoriety, a newly released police report reveals.
Audrey Hale, who killed six people — including three children — at Covenant School on March 27, 2023, kept their mental health issues hidden from medical professionals, the investigation found.
Metro Nashville Police’s nearly 50-page report details how Hale meticulously documented their planning for the deadly attack in notebooks, art books, and media files, leaving behind a chilling account of their motives and hopes for the outcome.
According to investigators, Hale’s main goal was not only to carry out a deadly attack but also to achieve fame and recognition for their actions.
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The report also notes that Hale had researched multiple possible locations for the attack, including busy roads and shopping malls.
By December 2018, Hale was already planning an attack on another school but feared it might be labeled as racist due to the student body’s demographics. However, the investigation revealed that Hale was willing to kill anyone, regardless of race.
The victims of the Covenant School attack included three 9-year-old children — Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney — along with three adults, Cynthia Peak, 61; Katherine Koonce, 60; and Mike Hill, 61. The shooter, who was a former student of the school, was killed in a confrontation with police.
The report stresses that Hale had no criminal record, and despite exhibiting signs of mental health struggles, their motives remained hidden from those around them.
The investigation concludes that Hale’s desire for infamy and the inability to address underlying mental health issues played a central role in the tragedy that devastated the Nashville community.
