Covenant School shooter Audrey Hale had a total stockpile of seven firearms, all purchased legally, despite being under doctor's care and receiving treatment for an emotional disorder.
Nashville Police Chief John Drake said at a news conference on Tuesday that the 28-year-old was still able to legally purchase seven firearms.
CNN reports that Norma and Ronald Hale, parents of the Covenant School shooter, told police they knew their child had purchased one weapon.
They had told Hale to sell the gun as they felt the 28-year-old could not be trusted with a firearm.
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Instead, Hale wound up stockpiling a total of seven weapons and stashed them throughout their family home.
"Her parents felt like she should not own weapons, and they were under the impression that she didn't own any anymore," Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said.
Police referred to Hale as a 'female shooter', but have clarified that Hale was transgender.
Hale used male pronouns on a social media profile, a spokesperson advised CNN.
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"But she had been hiding several within the house.
Drake added that Hale's mom spotted the 28-year-old leaving the house with a red bag before the shooting, and asked what was inside it.
"She dismissed it, thinking it was just a motherly thing," Drake said, according to the Daily Mail.
Hale's 'emotional disorder' had not been reported to authorities, despite being under the care of doctors for treatment.
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If the emotional disorder had been reported to police, it may have prevented Hale from purchasing weapons.
Drake told CBS Mornings that an investigation into the attack was still ongoing, however police believe 'resentment for having to go to that school' is the most likely motive.
"I can't go deeply into that because it's unconfirmed," he said.
Drake also mentioned Hale's love for the arts, revealing the shooter drew alarming and deranged images to illustrate her plan alongside her massacre manifesto.
"So we have a manifesto - we have a booklet that shows exactly what she had planned to do," Drake said.
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"We have maps that show the entry point into the school, the weapons that she was going to use, the clothing that she was going to wear. She had drawn it up almost like a cartoon character.
"It was exactly what she had on during this incident and she was a previous student she had connections there."
The Nashville police chief again repeated that the horrific school attack felt 'targeted'.
"The head of the school was assassinated in the hallway, so we feel like it was targeted and planned," he said.
Topics: News, US News, Gun Crime
