Nashville police have released chilling bodycam footage from Monday's shooting at a Christian private school, which left six people dead, including three children, that shows the moment two hero police officers shot dead trans shooter Audrey Hale. Hale started shooting inside The Covenant School, a small, church-run elementary school just before 10.13 am.
Hale was heavily armed with a handgun, and two assault-style rifles, and had meticulously planned the attack. She drove up to the Covenant School in her Honda Fit just before 10 am and started the massacre but was struck down by two hero officers Rex Englebert and Michael Collazo, and was dead by 10.27 am.
Final Moment Before Death
The video footage released by Nashville police on Tuesday morning shows how the cops carefully searched classrooms for the shooter before locating her in an atrium on the second floor, where she was firing in their direction as part of her suicide-by-cop plan.
Officer Englebert, a 27-year-old four-year police veteran, was no match for Hale as he swiftly struck her down with four shots from his semi-automatic pistol.
Officer Collazo, a nine-year veteran of the force, then approached brandishing a handgun and fired four more bullets while Hale writhed on the ground. After that, Officer Collazo approached her body and removed all of her weapons.
It took the officers five minutes to locate Hale and shoot her dead her after they arrived at the school at around 10.22 am.
However, by that time, Hale had murdered three kids aged nine and three staff employees.
A woman who was waiting outside the school gave the officers directions when they reached the scene.
A panicked male employee was observed leaning against a tree. He gave Englebert the key that would allow him entry to the school, which Hale had accessed by shooting through another door's glass panes.
The transgender gunman, who was born a woman but frequently went by the name "Aiden" and used the pronouns "he/him", harbored "resentment" about having to attend the Christian school as a child herself.
She also shot the church caretaker Mike Hill and substitute teacher Cynthia Peak in the hallway, in addition to killing head teacher Katherine Koonce in an "assassination"-style murder.
He also killed three children Hallie Scraggs, William Kinney, and Evelyn Dieckhaus all nine-year-old students.
It's not clear if she specifically targeted those children or their class.
Her Final Message
Moments before launching a deadly attack Hale sent an Instagram message to a former teammate revealing her deadly intentions. NewsChannel 5 reported that in an Instagram message sent to Averianna Patton, a former middle school basketball teammate, Hale said that she planned to die by suicide.
The message was sent at 9.57 am, minutes before the deadly shootout at the Christian school. Stating that Patton would see the report of her death on the news, Hale wrote, "So basically that post I made on here about you, that was basically a suicide note. I am planning to die today. THIS IS NOT A JOKE!!!! You'll probably heart about me on the news after I die. This is my last goodbye. I love you. See you again in another life." The message was signed as Audrey (Aiden)
Stating that she doesn't not want to live anymore and wants to die, Hale wrote, "One day this will make more sense. I've left behind more than enough evidence behind. But something bad is about to happen."
In another set of messages Hale revealed that her family is not aware of her actions. "I don't want to live. I am so sorry. I am not trying to upset you or get attention. I just need to die..... My family doesn't know what I'm about to do," read the message.
Speaking to the outlet, Patton said that she tried to comfort and encourage Hale before reaching out to the Suicide Prevention Help Line.
Stating that she also called the Nashville Davidson County Sheriff's Office at 10:13 a.m. only to be instructed to call Nashville's non-emergency number, Patton said, "I called Nashville's non-emergency line at 10:14 a.m. and was on hold for nearly seven minutes before speaking with someone who said that they would send an officer to my home. An officer did not come to my home until 3:29 p.m."
"After phone calls from friends and Audrey's name was released as the shooter at Covenant Nashville school, I learned that Audrey was the shooter and that she had reached out to me prior to the shooting," Patton told the outlet. "My heart is with all of the families affected and I'm devastated by what has happened."
The killer's family is yet to speak publicly. Hale said in a message to a Patton that her parents were unaware of her plans.
Two more guns were recovered from her house in addition to the three weapons that were discovered at the scene. It is not known if they were also registered to Hale. According to police sources, Hale had 'high functioning' autism.
