Nashville shooter was under doctor’s care for ‘an emotional disorder’

The 28-year-old shooter who killed three children and three adults at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tenn., on Monday had been under the care of a doctor for an “emotional disorder,” police said. 

Nashville Metro Chief John Drake told reporters on Tuesday that Audrey Elizabeth Hale “was under care — doctor’s care — for an emotional disorder,” but did not disclose further details about the nature of that disorder. Hale was killed by police on scene. 

“Law enforcement knew nothing about the treatment she was receiving. But her parents felt that she should not own weapons,” Drake said. 

The shooter was initially described by police as a teenager and then as a 28-year-old white woman. It was later revealed that Hale was transgender, though police have referred to the shooter by gender assigned at birth. 

Police also revealed that Hale had purchased seven firearms at five different local gun stores — all legally. Hale’s parents told police they knew Hale had bought and sold one weapon, but were apparently unaware that Hale had been hiding additional weapons at home. 

Hale brought three of those guns to The Covenant School for the massacre.

The shooter’s motive is still unclear, but authorities say they’ve found a manifesto with what Drake called “quite a bit of writing to it,” as well as a map of the school, where Hale had reportedly once been a student, indicating advance preparation for the attack — but police said no individuals appeared to have been specifically targeted. 

Hale killed three nine-year-olds — Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney — and three adults — Cynthia Peak, 61, Katherine Koonce, 60, and Mike Hill, 61.