Averianna Patton, a former basketball teammate of Audrey Hale, received a message from the shooter on Instagram the same morning of the deadly shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville. Hale's message to Patton stated, "So basically that post I made on here about you, that was basically a suicide note. I'm planning to die today," followed by "THIS IS NOT A JOKE!!!!" Patton screenshot the message and sought the advice of her father, who advised her to contact the national suicide prevention line. However, Patton was later directed to contact the Davidson County Sheriff's Office, where her tip went unacknowledged. While Patton was attempting to organize a follow-up conversation with a deputy, the shooting had already occurred, and Hale was dead.

Police revealed that 28-year-old Audrey Hale entered The Covenant School on Burton Hills on Monday and murdered three children and three adults before being confronted by Metro Nashville Police officers and killed. The tragedy left a heartbroken Nashville community grappling with the massacre and police to uncover more details about the pre-planned attack.