Monday the 27th, 2023, marked the tragic deaths of six innocent lives at a private Covenant Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee. Around 10am, Audrey Hale, a former student at the Covenant school, opened fire through the entrance to the school, followed by the shooting of three children and three adults. Fourteen minutes after Hale entered the school, police shot at the suspect and Hale was killed. The motive behind the shooting is still unclear; however, officials have informed that the attack was planned out due to evidence found in Hale’s bedroom.

It was revealed that Hale had legally bought seven firearms, but was under care for an emotional disorder. The government has always been coherent about the restriction of firearms to everyone and has made it difficult in some states for people to purchase firearms, but still allow the mentally unstable to purchase these weapons. When it comes to school and other mass shootings, it is not about the weapon, rather, it’s about the person. With sufficient background checks, the murderer could have been denied firearm purchase and the situation would have never happened. This has been a widely debated topic, but each shooting that occurs adds to both sides of the argument, and in this case, the legal firearm purchase of the mentally unstable. Because of Tennessee laws, police couldn’t confiscate Hale’s weapons, even though she was under care. The government shouldn’t make it difficult for mentally stable individuals to purchase firearms, then allow the mentally unstable access to firearms. Not only are faulty gun laws affecting U.S schools and public gatherings where shootings happen, but how the role of something as simple as transgenderism plays a part in this particular shooting. According to the New York Post, “police are looking into whether Hale’s gender identity played a role in the slaughter.” This adds to the mental health argument, and raises the question, does transgenderism count as a mental disorder that would restrict the purchase of firearms? As officials look further into this case, more information will hopefully be revealed and the motive behind the shooting will come to light.