Nashville School Shooter Legally Bought 7 Guns, Police Say

Topline

The 28-year-old accused of killing six people at a Nashville elementary school Monday legally purchased seven firearms from five local gun stores in the Nashville area, Nashville Police Chief John Drake said Tuesday.

A make shift memorial is seen at the entry to Covenant School with a police car guarding, on … [+] Tuesday, March 28, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn.

AP/John Amis

Key Facts

Suspect Audrey Hale used three of the seven legally purchased weapons—two AR-style firearms, including a rifle and a pistol, as well as a handgun—during Monday’s shooting, Drake said, though the police chief didn’t specify when the guns were purchased.

Hale—who was a former student of the Covenant School and current resident of Nashville, according to police—was being treated for an emotional disorder and was under doctor’s care, Drake told reporters at a short press conference Tuesday.

Hale’s parents told police they knew their child previously owned one firearm but they were under the impression the suspect had sold the weapon and Hale no longer had any firearms in the home, according to Drake.

Hale’s parents also told police they did not think Hale should own weapons, but in the investigation, police found Hale was hiding several weapons in the family’s home, Drake said.

Tangent

While police found Hale’s manifesto detailing the plan for the shooting, the motive is unclear as of Tuesday afternoon, according to Drake. The shooter did not target specific individuals, but the Covenant School and the adjacent Covenant Presbyterian Church were targets, Metropolitan Nashville Police Department spokesperson Don Aaron said Tuesday.

This is a developing story and Forbes will continue to update it.

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