Autopsy: Mysterious Writing Found On Nashville School Shooter’s Clothing

Following the deadly mass shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee, earlier this year, there was a notable absence of information in media reports about the shooter’s background and possible motivations.

Many critics were particularly upset that a so-called manifesto created by the shooter — a 28-year-old who identified as transgender — was recovered by police but would likely not be released to the public. 

An update this week revealed that Hale also included mysterious writing on the clothes worn during the massacre.

The autopsy report released this week identified “handwritten words, drawings, and numbers” on the shooter’s clothing.

Hale, who was fatally shot by police, was also found with a knife bearing the name Aiden, which was a name the shooter preferred to use. Additionally, Hale reportedly wore an anklet that included the number 508507.

While these details do not seem to offer many clues on the surface, those pushing for the release of Hale’s manifesto believe that those writings could shed some important light on the matter.

America First Legal, a nonprofit organization created by former Trump administration adviser Stephen Miller, is pursuing a lawsuit that calls for the document to be made public.

Gene Hamilton, the group’s vice president and general counsel, asserted: “A deranged transgender psychopath took six innocent lives and struck at the heart of a tight-knit community. While we grieve for the families and pray for God’s peace, righteousness, and perfect justice to prevail upon all affected by this horrible situation, the fact remains that the public has a right to see these documents.”

Although Hale’s parents have taken steps apparently intended to shield the writings from being released, Doug Pierce, an attorney for the National Police Association, concluded that it might be too late to legally prevent their release. 

“If public officials take them into custody as part of their duties, which is what happened here when police took them, they become part of the public record,” he said. 

For its part, the Metro Nashville Police Department is currently in possession of the manifesto and has indicated that it will not be publicly released until an ongoing investigation is complete.