NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Covenant School shooter Audrey Hale’s parents are “laying low” in the wake of the tragedy that left six people and their daughter dead, the family’s pastor said.
Norma and Ronald Hale are receiving messages through their pastor and family as they maintain a low profile in the days following their daughter’s Monday killing spree, according to two people close to the family.
“By necessity they have to lay low for quite a while it looks like, or the foreseeable future, anyway,” Senior Pastor Jim Thomas told The Village Chapel congregation during a Wednesday night prayer service.
“But if you have some messages or whatever you’d like to send to them, you can get it to us and we can find a way to get it to them.”
Monday, 28-year-old Hale blasted the private elementary school’s locked side door and crawled in through the shattered glass.
Transgender Hale carried out a 14-minute killing spree while armed with two assault rifles and a handgun.
The shooter gunned down three schoolchildren and three staffers before police skillfully disarmed her.
Nine-year-olds Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney were killed in the assault, as well as school janitor Mike Hill, substitute teacher Cynthia Peak and headmistress Katherine Koonce, who reportedly ran toward the shooter to try to protect the school.
Hale left behind a manifesto as well as detailed maps of the school she had methodically planned to attack.
A local official told The Post the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit is reviewing Hale’s manifesto.
Hale’s mother, Norma, has worked with the Village Chapel for years, and currently serves as
Thomas, who grew emotional at times, told the congregation the Hales “are being well cared for, thank you so much for your questions and concerns those of you that have expressed that.
“This week many of us find ourselves stunned into silence … So many of us have simply grown in our prayers or wept a river of tears and continue to do so because of the significance of all of the lives taken this senseless act of violence,” he went on.
He said the congregation also grieves the loss of Audrey Hale’s life “in a way I could never, ever have imagined.”
Thomas’ voice broke as he prayed for his Audrey and her family.
“In spite of what Audrey has done, we pray for God’s mercy on her soul.
“We cry and pray alongside Norma and Ron as they grieve the loss of their child and as they experience the bizarre inexplicable shock of knowing that their child is the one who caused the death of these other six beautiful people,” Thomas said.
The Hales have not responded to The Post’s previous requests for comment regarding Monday’s events.
Lorinda Hale, Audrey’s aunt, told The Post the parents “need their space,” but confirmed Audrey was receiving counseling.
Asked about Audrey’s parents, she responded: “Just like parents who unfortunately had their daughter killed they’ve also lost their daughter, and having to deal with not only that loss but what their daughter did in the process of that loss.”
Hale added: “They’re not well.”
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