Audrey / Aiden Hale

Mass Murderer

Aiden Hale and the 2023 Covenant School Massacre

Background

Aiden Hale, also publicly identified by the birth name Audrey Elizabeth Hale, was responsible for the mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 27, 2023. Hale was 28 years old and lived with his parents in Nashville. He had previously attended The Covenant School from kindergarten through fourth grade and later graduated from the Nossi College of Art and Design in 2022. Hale identified as male and used the name Aiden in portions of his personal life, although police and many official records initially identified him as Audrey Hale. Investigators later emphasized that Hale's gender identity was not determined to be the motive for the attack. The Covenant School was a small private Christian elementary school operated as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church. It was located at 33 Burton Hills Boulevard in Nashville's Green Hills neighborhood. The school served children from preschool through sixth grade.

Years of Planning

Investigators concluded that Hale had developed an intense fascination with mass murderers and school shootings years before the attack. His private writings showed that he researched previous attackers, studied their methods and considered several possible locations. Police determined that he began making increasingly serious plans for a mass shooting approximately five years before the Covenant attack. Hale initially considered attacking another school he had attended but eventually selected The Covenant School. He was familiar with the campus from his childhood and conducted additional research into the property. Investigators recovered maps, diagrams, photographs, schedules and notes concerning entrances, hallways and security procedures. Beginning in 2020, Hale legally purchased several firearms. His family became concerned about his access to weapons after learning that he had sold one firearm, and they believed he no longer possessed guns. Hale instead concealed additional weapons and ammunition inside the family home. Police found no evidence that Hale's parents, therapists or acquaintances knew that he was preparing to murder people at the school. The final police investigation found that Hale was primarily motivated by a desire for notoriety and by an obsessive identification with other mass murderers. Investigators found no evidence that the six victims had been personally selected. Police also concluded that the attack was not principally motivated by politics, race, religion or Hale's gender identity, although Hale's writings contained anger toward several groups and institutions.

Preparation on March 27, 2023

At approximately 8:00 a.m. on March 27, 2023, Hale left his family's residence carrying a large duffel bag and a backpack. The bags contained firearms, ammunition, tactical equipment, notebooks and personal belongings. Hale placed the items inside a 2014 Honda Fit and drove to the parking lot of Royal Range USA at 7741 U.S. Highway 70 South in Nashville. Hale arrived at the range property at approximately 8:16 a.m. but did not enter the business. He parked in a distant portion of the lot, put on a tactical vest, attached ammunition pouches to his belt and prepared three firearms. He remained there for more than an hour before leaving at approximately 9:33 a.m. Hale arrived at The Covenant School at approximately 9:53 a.m. He slowly drove through the campus before parking on the western side of the building. While sitting in the vehicle, Hale sent a farewell message to a former friend through Instagram. He indicated that an earlier message was essentially a suicide note and suggested that he expected to die that day. The recipient attempted to alert authorities, but the shooting began before the warning could result in an intervention. ...

Confirmed Victims: (6)

Evelyn Dieckhaus 9 yr old Male

Covenant School shooter Audrey Hale had no grudge against the 6 ...