The transgender shooter who killed six people at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tenn., sent suicidal messages alluding to plans for the massacre to a former basketball teammate minutes before beginning the rampage.
Shooter Audrey Hale, who went by "Aiden," on Monday messaged former middle school basketball teammate Averianna Patton saying she wanted to die and that "something bad is about to happen." Patton noticed the messages at 9:57 a.m., and authorities received the first 911 call that shots had been fired at the school at 10:13 a.m. Hale killed three nine-year-old students and three adults at the private Christian school.
"So basically that post I made on here about you, that was basically a suicide note," Hale messaged Patton on Instagram. "You'll probably hear about me on the news after I die. See you again in another life."
Officials on Tuesday released the body cam footage of the Nashville police response, showing officers engaging and shooting Hale, who once attended the school.
Patton attempted to talk down Hale, who she said has previously been suicidal. "Audrey! You have so much more life to live. I pray God keeps and covers you," she messaged back.
Hale replied she was "so sorry" but "I just need to die."
"I tried to comfort and encourage her and subsequently reached out to the Suicide Prevention Help Line after being instructed to by my father at 10:08 am," Patton told NewsChannel 5.
The Covenant School is a private Christian school for students from preschool to sixth grade.
President Joe Biden used the occasion to call for the banning of "assault weapons," adding Congress needs to "do more."