How some US media reports are trying to link Nashville shooting to so-called 'radical transgender activists'

In the aftermath of the deadly Nashville shooting where six people were killed including three nine-year-olds, a section of the US media is trying to conjure a connection to transgender activism. As per claims made in these reports, the shooting carried out by 28-year-old Audrey Elizabeth Hale, a transgender person, took place days ahead of the so-called 'Trans Day of Vengeance', which was purported to be held on March 31-April 1.

The reports are referring to websites and Twitter posts of a so-called Trans Radical Activist Network (TRAN), which appears to have made a call-to-action to 'end trans genocide'.

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Tsukuru Fors, the co-founder of TRAN in an interview stated that this year, the 'Trans Day of Visibility' had been given an altered moniker of'Trans Day of Vengeance' because 'visibility' alone was no longer enough.

"We are calling for Trans Day of Vengeance. Vengeance means fighting back with vehemence. It is our battle cry to declare to the world that we the transgender/non-binary communities will neither be silenced nor eradicated. And we are calling to our allies, members of other marginalised communities to make themselves known and to fight with us,"Fors was quoted as saying by Struggle La Lucha.

Some reports also claimed that the group was raising money for firearms training for the group members.The Twitter handle of the account has been locked with tweets only visible to the followers.

Much of this reporting is coming from right-wing media outlets in the US.It is not clear if Hale was in any way associated with the movement or inspired by the call-to-action.

But news agencies have reported citing police that the gender identity of the shooter is one of the issues being looked into as a possible motive for the crime.

ALSO READ | Nashville shooting Live updates | Three children among six killed; suspect fatally shot

Shooter's manifesto

As per reports, the shooter left behind a map and a manifesto relating to the attack. The items were revealed upon a search of the suspect's house.

Nashville Chief of Police John Drake informed that there were going to be shootings at multiple locations, with the school being one of them, according to the initial reading of the recovered manifesto.

“We have a manifesto, we have some writings that we're going over that pertain to this date. We have a map drawn out of how this was all gonna take place. We know there were two AR-style weapons. One a rifle, another was an AR-style pistol, and the other was a handgun. We believe two of those may have been obtained legally, locally,” the police chief told the media.

What happened in Nashville?

Surveillance footage shows Hale, a former student of The Covenant School in the Green Hills neighbourhood of Nashville drivinga Honda car to the school on Monday before shooting the glass entrances using the assault weapon.

Wearing a black vest over a white T-shirt, camouflage pants and a backward red baseball cap, Hale checks out different rooms before shooting down various hallways.

WATCH |Nashville school shooting: 3 children, 3 adults killed, shooter dead

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According toa press release fromthe Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), officers Rex Englebert and Michael Collazo, shot down Hale on the second floor in thecommon area of the school. The shooter had been opening fire through a window at arriving police cars.

Nine-year-olds Evely Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, William Kinney, 61-year-old Cynthia Peak, 60-year-old Katherine Koonce, and 61-year-old Mike Hill have been identified as the victims of the attack.

(With inputs from agencies)

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