A former Audrey Hale middle school basketball teammate, Averianna Patton, received a message from the Covenant School shooter on Instagram at 9:57 a.m.
In the message, Hale expressed his intention to die by suicide and claimed that Patton would see him on the news.
Patton shared the posts with NewsChannel 5, where it was revealed Hale mentioned seeing Patton again in another life.
Hale also spoke of her desire to end her life and the need to die.
In her post, Hale wrote, “One day this will make more sense.” She also mentioned leaving enough evidence and warned that something bad was about to happen.
On Monday, a tragic mass shooting took place on the campus of The Covenant School, a private Christian school in Green Hills, resulting in the loss of three children and three staff members.
Prior to the shooting, Audrey Hale, the perpetrator, had contacted her former college basketball teammate Averianna Patton via Instagram, stating that she was planning to take her own life and that something bad was about to happen.
Patton tried to comfort and support Hale, but she became concerned and contacted Suicide Prevention
Help Line at 10:08 a.m., as instructed by his father, as Hale had previously shared his struggles with suicidal thoughts. Hale’s family was apparently unaware of what was going to happen. Patton shared this information with NewsChannel 5.
According to Averianna Patton, at 9:57 a.m. on the day of filming, she received a message on Instagram from Audrey Hale, stating that she was planning to kill herself and that Patton would see him on the news.
Patton contacted the Suicide Prevention Hotline, per his father’s instructions, then called the Nashville Davidson County Sheriff’s Office at 10:13 a.m.
However, she was told to call the Nashville non-emergency number, which she did at 10:14 a.m. After being put on hold for almost seven minutes, she spoke to someone who said that an officer would be sent to her. An officer did not arrive until 3:29 p.m.
Patton thinks authorities should have been more urgent when she called for help.
After Audrey’s name was released as a shooter at The Covenant School, Patton learned that Hale had contacted her before filming.
Patton expressed his condolences to the families affected by the tragedy.
How the Nashville Covenant School Mass Shooting Unfolded:
According to Metro Police, 28-year-old Audrey Hale arrived at the Covenant School in a Honda Fit on Monday morning and pulled through the doors. Later, she would kill three staff members and three 9-year-old children at the school.
09:53 – Hale’s gray Honda Fit arrival at the Covenant School in Nashville was observed.
09:54 – Hale was observed crossing the parking lot in a seemingly calm manner. There was no indication that anything was wrong as she found a parking spot.
10:10 a.m. – Hale smashed the locked glass front door and started shooting. She then walked through the rubble and into the empty reception area of the church, located next to the school.
10:13 a.m. – While holding her assault rifle, Hale entered a carpeted room inside the church in search of potential victims. However, the room was empty. It was at this time that the first call reporting gunshots in the building was made to 911.
10:18 a.m. – The same camera captured footage of Hale continuing to search for victims inside the church. She was observed opening a door in the next room.
10:19 – After a while, the 28-year-old shooter came back through the door and pointed her gun, when no one was in the room. She then attempted to open another door before returning after about 30 seconds.
10:20 a.m. – In the footage, Hale is seen walking through a wooden-floored building labeled “first”, passing an empty reception. She continues to stalk the hallway before disappearing from sight.
10:27 – Hale was fatally shot by officers on the second floor of the school after engaging them in gunfire. Officers returned fire, resulting in his death.