'I've left more than enough evidence behind': Friend of Nashville shooter opens up about final texts

The last person to speak to Nashville, Tennessee mass shooter Audrey Hale was childhood friend Averianna Patton, who played basketball with the shooter when she was younger. Patton received an Instagram private message from the killer at 9:57 in the morning, 16 minutes before the 911 call by Covenant School.

"I wanted to tell you first because you are the most beautiful person I've ever seen and known in my life," said the message from Hale, who also identified as male and used the name "Aiden" on some social media accounts. "One day this will make more sense. I've left more than enough evidence behind."

On CNN Tuesday, anchor Erin Burnett discussed that experience with her.

"I can only imagine the shock that you feel and having received this and, in a sense, been so close to it," said Burnett. "What more can you tell me about these messages that you received from the shooter? I mean, when you receive the messages in that moment. How did it even make you feel to get these messages?"

"I was just, like, shocked," said Patton. "And initially I was, you know, trying to comfort her. But soon as I got it, it was just like, this is strange. Let me send this to my daddy. I screenshot to him. I was like, do I call somebody? He was like, yes, and I was like, okay. Who do I call, like, how do I deal with something like this? Like so then he was like, call the suicide prevention. And then that's when I started that process of trying to reach out, right?"

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"You did, I know, call suicide prevention," said Burnett. "And this one part: 'One day this will make more sense.' At this point, from what you know, does any of this make any more sense to you?"

"I mean, it's just, I'm just still completely mind-boggled, like none of this makes sense," said Patton. "Like, I just wouldn't never imagined this. Like this is crazy."

Watch the segment below or at this link.

Nashville mass shooter's childhood friend speaks outwww.youtube.com