In the wake of the Covenant School shooting that took place on Monday in Nashville, Tennessee, that left 6 people dead, the now-deceased shooting suspect, Audrey Hale’s ‘suicide note’ which they sent to their friend Averianna Patton, has surfaced.

Just minutes before carrying out the deadly shooting, Hale apparently wrote to Patton, “I’m planning to die today.” The 28-year-old messaged Patton on Instagram at 9:57 a.m. Monday, according to NewsChannel 5.  “So basically that post I made on here about you, that was basically a suicide note. I’m planning to die today,” Hale wrote, using the name Aiden.

Hale also disclosed to Patton in a series of follow-up messages that they do not want to live anymore and their family doesn’t know what they are “about to do”: “I don’t want to live. I am so sorry. I am not trying to upset you or get attention. I just need to die….. My family doesn’t know what I’m about to do.”

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“One day this will make more sense. I’ve left behind more than enough evidence behind. But something bad is about to happen,” Hale added, indicating to their friend that something bad was about to happen that day.

Officials said that the shooter identified as transgender and used he/him pronouns but was born female.

Who is Averianna Patton?

Averianna Patton is a former basketball teammate of Hale from middle school. They were also Instagram friends and used to DM each other frequently. Hale called Pattoin the “most beautiful person” which was why they chose her to disclose their mental condition.

In her response to the message, Patton was seen giving Hale hope instead of giving up in life. “Audrey! You have so much more life to live. I pray God keeps and covers you,” she said.

Also Read | Who is Norma Hale, Covenant School, Nashville shooting suspect Audrey Hale’s mother?

Patton later told NewsChannel 5 that she contacted the Suicide Prevention Help Line after comforting Hale. She also got in touch with the Nashville Davidson County Sheriff’s Office before being directed to Nashville’s non-emergency number. “I called Nashville’s non-emergency line at 10:14 AM and was on hold for nearly seven minutes before speaking with someone who said that they would send an officer to my home. An officer did not come to my home until 3:29 PM,” she said.

Patton said that she was informed about Audrey Hale being the suspect in the Nashville Covenant School shooting after receiving calls from other friends. “After phone calls from friends and Audrey’s name was released as the shooter at Covenant Nashville school, I learned that Audrey was the shooter and that she had reached out to me prior to the shooting. My heart is with all of the families affected and I’m devastated by what has happened,” she said.