United States Senator Josh Hawley stated in an interview with Fox News that the Nashville school shooting should be investigated as a hate crime because the transgender shooter intentionally targeted Christians.
The Trans Resistance Network, a trans activist group, stated that the shooter needed to be seen and chose to kill six people at a private Presbyterian school. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake shared that some people believe the shooter resented attending the school.
The School Shooting Believed to Target the People in Faith, Says Senator Hawley
According to Hawley, the police have informed that the shooting targeted the Christian school, students, and employees. He added that it was a premeditated and deliberate attempt to target the school, and it is considered a hate crime when someone targets people of faith.
In the report in Christianity Daily, the tragic shooting in a Christian school in Nashville resulted in taking the lives of six individuals, including three students and the school's head. The shooter was identified by police as Audrey Hale, a 28-year-old transgender woman, was also killed by the police. Hale was reportedly carrying two "assault-type rifles" and a handgun.
According to reports, the police are investigating a home linked to the shooter, where Hale may have prepared for the shooting and even written a manifesto. The Nashville police Chief, John Drake, shared this information with the public in a statement.
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Christians Accused of Transphobia Might be the Motive of the Shooter
Christians are believed and have been accused of having transphobia because of the belief system regarding on gender and sexuality, such as their opposition to gender transition surgeries, and are unwilling to educate children about gender identity and sexual preference in schools. According to a shared article in Yahoo! News, recently, a teacher in Michigan made a statement suggesting that it is more commendable to kill someone with racist, homophobic, or transphobic views than to silence them simply.
The tragic incident in the Christian School in Nashville was not targeted at specific individuals. The motive behind the attack is still yet to be revealed, and the police have not released the shooter's manifesto or the maps they drew of the school that they allegedly prepared before the attack.
Senator Josh Hawley believes that the manifesto is crucial evidence in the investigation and a potential hate crime case. He tweeted that the shooting was a federal hate crime against Christian children and teachers since it targeted a Christian school.
Senator Hawley's spokesperson responded to NBC News by directing them to a tweet in which the senator expressed concern about a bill granting the federal government the authority to regulate offensive speech. Hawley warned that such a move would effectively create a "speech police" and allow the government to monitor what is considered offensive speech.
On the other hand, Hawley introduced a Senate resolution condemning the recent school shooting in Nashville as a hate crime. Hate crimes must be considered according to the senator's letter to the police.
Related Article: Nashville Christian School Shooting Takes 6 Lives Including 3 Students; Shooter Found Dead at the Scene
