Nashville school shooter Audrey Hale sent a friend a chilling “suicide note” minutes before slaughtering three children and three adults — writing her: “I’m planning to die today.”
Hale, 28, messaged Averianna Patton, her former middle school basketball teammate, on Instagram at 9:57 a.m. Monday, NewsChannel 5 reported.
“So basically that post I made on here about you, that was basically a suicide note. I’m planning to die today,” Hale wrote, using the name Aiden, according to messages Patton gave the outlet.
“THIS IS NOT A JOKE!!!” wrote Hale, who identified as transgender. “You’ll probably hear about me on the news after I die.”
Hale added: “This is my last goodbye. I love you … See you again in another life.”
She signed the missive “Audrey (Aiden).”
Patton replied: “Audrey! You have so much more life to live. I pray God keeps and covers you.”
In response, Hale wrote: “I know but I don’t want to live. I’m so sorry. I’m not trying to upset you or get attention. I just need to die. I wanted to tell you first because you are the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen and known all my life.”
She added: “My family doesn’t know what I’m about to do. One day this will make more sense. I’ve left more than enough evidence behind. But something bad is about to happen.”
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Moments later, Hale shot out the front doors of the Covenant School, a private Christian academy, and walked inside clutching two assault rifles and a handgun.
She gunned down three 9-year-olds and three staffers before she was fatally shot by police at 10:27 a.m. — 14 minutes after they received a call about an active shooter.
“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 a.m.,” Patton told NewsChannel 5.
“Audrey has shared with others that she had been suicidal in the past and I knew to take this serious [sic],” she added.
The friend told the outlet she called the Nashville Davidson County Sheriff’s Office at 10:13 a.m. about the matter and was instructed to call Nashville’s non-emergency number.
“I called Nashville’s non-emergency line at 10:14 a.m. and was on hold for nearly seven minutes before speaking with someone who said that they would send an officer to my home. An officer did not come to my home until 3:29 p.m.,” Patton told the station.
“After phone calls from friends and Audrey’s name was released as the shooter at Covenant Nashville school, I learned that Audrey was the shooter and that she had reached out to me prior to the shooting,” she said.
“My heart is with all of the families affected and I’m devastated by what has happened,” Patton added.
Hale, who was a former student at the school, killed 9-year-olds Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and Williams Kinney, custodian Mike Hill, 61, substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, 61, and school headmaster Katherine Koonce, 60, officials said.
Police said she left behind a manifesto and a map that she used to plan the massacre.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
