Bodycam footage of police killing Nashville school shooter released

Police have released bodycam footage of the death of school shooter Audrey Hale as disturbing text messages from him have been revealed.

Confronting bodycam footage of the moment police killed US school shooter Audrey Hale in the midst of a murderous rampage has been released.

Confronting bodycam footage has been released of the moment police killed a US school shooter in the midst of a murderous rampage.

In the video, released on Tuesday morning US time, Police officers can be seen searching Covenant School, in Nashville, Tennessee, before confronting 28-year-old Audrey Hale on a first floor landing. He slumped to the ground after being shot multiple times.

Officers then removed a large gun which Hale had been holding.

Hale killed six people, including three nine-year-olds, after he forced his way into the school on Monday morning shooting at both children and staff members.

His victims were killed at random, Police said on Tuesday.

“This school, this church building was a target,” Metropolitan Nashville Police Department public affairs director Don Aaron said.

Police have also revealed Hale was being treated for “emotional distress”.

Audrey Hale holding an assault rifle at the Covenant School building in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Metropolitan Nashville Police Department / AFP).

Officials identified the three slain students as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney, all age 9. The three staff members killed were teachers Cynthia Peak and Mike Hill, both 61, and school head Katherine Koonce, 60.

Hale, who was a former student at Covenant School, was killed by two police officers.

Police spokeswoman Kristin Mumford said the shooter was born female but was listed with male pronouns on career website LinkedIn, which suggested that the shooter was a transgender man, the New York Timesreported.

The social media profile and personal website of the shooter had the name Audrey Hale but he also referred to himself by the name of Aiden.

Nashville police chief John Drake has told media that while an exact motive has not yet been determined, there were indications Hale may have been driven by a sense of “resentment” towards the school.

However, authorities are investigating whether Hale’s gender identity may have been a factor in the attack.

“There is some theory to that, we’re investigating all the leads,” Mr Drake told NBC News.

Substitute teacher Cynthia Peak (right, with her daughter Ellie) was among those shot dead. Picture: Facebook

Nine-year-old Hallie Scruggs (with father Chad, the pastor at the presbyterian church linked to the school) was identified as one of the victims of the shooting. Picture: Facebook

Bodycam footage shows moment Hale shot dead

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department released bodycam footage from the two police officers that shot Hale: Rex Engelbert and Michale Collazo.

They can be seen arriving at the school and collecting their guns before being ushered indoors.

As a fire alarm blared, the officers frantically searched classrooms before shooting can be heard from the floor above.

Reaching the first floor, the pair charge down a corridor passing what may be a dead body. However it’s unclear as the video is pixelated.

Police officers went classroom to classroom to locate Hale. Picture: Metro Nashville PD.

Upon entering an open area, police located Hale and then fired off several shots sending him to the ground.

“Watch out,” Officer Collazo said, as they approached Hale, potentially unsure as to whether the shooter could yet return fire.

Hale is then shot again multiple times while on the floor.

“Stop moving, stop moving,” shouted one officer.

“Get your hands away from the gun,” said the other, as the firearm was removed from Hale.

“Suspect down,” said Officer Collazo.

Hale was shot dead by police on site at 10.27am after a 14-minute rampage.

Hale (circled) was found on a first floor landing where police opened fire. Picture: Metro Nashville PD.

Hale died at the scene. Picture: Metro Nashville PD.

Hale treated for ‘emotional distress’

In a press conference on Tuesday, Nashville police said Hale has purchased seven guns legally.

They also revealed the shooter had been in treatment for “emotional distress”.

“Her parents felt she should not own weapons,” Nashville police’s Mr Drake told reporters.

“She had been hiding several weapons within the house.”

He added it was unlikely they would have been able to remove Hales’ guns prior to the attack even if there was a concern.

“There’s not a law for that,” although he added that if there was a genuien fear of attack police would have attempted to retrieve the firearms.

However, he stressed police “had absolutely no idea,” Hale was a danger.

Nashville school shooter Audrey Hale.

‘Planning to die today’

Further details have emerged about Hale in the run up to the shooting.

On the morning of the murders, Hale messaged a former teammate Averianna Patton on Instagram.

The exchange came at 9.57am, 16 minutes before the shooting unfolded, local TV station News Channel 5 reported.

“I’m planning to die today,” Hale wrote to Ms Patton.

“THIS IS NOT A JOKE!!!

“You’ll probably hear about me on the news after I die.”

“This is my last goodbye. I love you … See you again in another life.”

He signed off the message as “Audrey (Aiden).”

Audrey Hale sent text messages to his friend Averianna Patton, moments before opening fire on a US primary school in Nashville. Picture: Fox 17

Ms Patton replied that Audrey had “so much more life to live”.

Hale replied: “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.

“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.”

CCTV footage released by the Nashville police department shows how Hale arrived at the school in a Honda Fit car.

He then broke into the school by shooting through locked doors, shattering the glass.

The mass shooter was seen stalking through the corridors of the school wearing a red cap backwards, a white T-shirt, a tactical vest and combat pants.

One of the three guns used by the shooter and recovered at the scene along with significant ammunition at the Covenant School building. (Photo by Handout / Metro Nashville Police Department / AFP)

Shortly after the shooting, police found a manifesto and map that pointed to the shooting being a targeted attack, according to police chief John Drake.

“We have a manifesto, we have some writings that we’re going over that pertain to this date,” Mr Drake told reporters at a press conference.

“We have a map drawn out of how this was all gonna take place.”

He added that Hale, who had no police record or record of mental health problems, was “prepared to do more harm than was actually done”.

Police confirmed Hale cancelled plans to target another school in the same area as it had too much security.

A woman pays her respects at a makeshift memorial for victims outside the Covenant School. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)

Disturbing illustration

On LinkedIn, Hale claimed to be a professional freelance illustrator and graphic designer.

“My illustrations usually bring a whimsical and lighthearted feel,” wrote Hale, who said he was on “a mission to change the world”.

But some of those illustrations were darker.

One was of actor Jack Nicholson in his role as Jack Torrance in the 1980s horror film The Shining where his character attempts to murder his family.

A disturbing illustration by Audrey Hale.

Hale’s illustration used typed words to create an image of Jack Nicholson, reported the New York Post.

In the centre of the image was the word “redrum” which was a pivotal moment in the film when it was revealed to be “murder” backwards.

The word “redrum” is repeated over and over again in Hale’s illustration.

– with Megan Palin.