In Tennessee's capital, a controversial development has emerged as 90 pages of writings believed to be by Audrey Hale, the shooter in the Covenant School tragedy, have been released. On March 27, 2023, Hale's attack killed six people, including three children, before she was shot by police. This publication defies a court ruling by Davidson County Chancellor I'Ashea L. Myles, which had protected the writings from mandatory disclosure under federal copyright law. The release was made by the Tennessee Star.
Despite legal battles involving the National Police Association (NPA) and the Tennessee Firearms Association (TFA), the Tennessee Star has published writings by the shooter that range from mundane thoughts to alarming declarations of an impending massacre. The writings reveal a troubled mental state marked by sadness and a desire to end her pain, which tragically affected innocent lives. The school and Covenant community have strongly opposed the release, citing concerns about potential copycats and urging empathy for the grieving families. as reported by WSMV.
The writings, described by police as a "manifesto," were not a political rant but rather a stream of consciousness from Hale leading up to the deadly event, according to a review by KFOX14. The documents include references to Hale's autism, her self-proclaimed "death day (D.D.) 3/27/23," and "I will die a shooter, hopefully to become infamous...and I will be the horror to inflict pain."
Erin Kinney, the bereaved mother of young victim William Kinney, expressed anguish over the decision to publish these writings. Kinney declared, "These petitioners have shown no respect or regard for my family or for the hundreds of surviving Covenant trauma victims, even going so far as to shamefully deny their victimhood before you, as they seek to publish and profit from the deranged, hateful, and exceedingly dangerous ramblings of an individual who renounced her humanity and gunned down children," as quoted by KFOXTV. The release was seen as a continuation of the shooter's quest for "immortality," granting the perverse legacy they sought through destruction.
FOX 17 further scrutinizes the release, positing that Hale's notes evince a fixation on self-harm and societal alienation.
According to KFOX14, she writes, "Why does my brain not work right? Cause I was born wrong! Nothing on Earth can save me..." The torment expressed in these pages fuses personal struggle with broader societal implications, prompting community and mental health discussions.
