On Monday, a mass shooting at a Nashville, Tennessee school left six people dead, including three children, and the shooter, 28-year-old Audrey Elizabeth Hale, deceased. The gunman was identified as a transgender woman and had no previous criminal record. The tragedy has sparked a debate among many, including a freelance reporter for NBC News, Benjamin Ryan, who posted a tweet implying a connection between the shooting and the Daily Wire, a conservative media outlet based in Nashville and home to stars Ben Shapiro and Matt Walsh.
The tweet, which has since been deleted, read: “NBC has ID’d the Nashville school shooter as Audrey Hale, 28, who identifies as transgender and had no previous criminal record. Nashville is home to the Daily Wire, a hub of anti-trans activity by @MattWalshBlog, @BenShapiro, and @MichaelJKnowles.”
The tweet was met with an outpouring of criticism, with many denouncing Ryan as a “ghoul” and a “gay activist masquerading as a journalist.” The Post reached out to NBC News and Ryan for comment, as well as the Daily Wire, but received no response.
Deleted, but The List comes for all, @benryanwriter.
✍️✍️✍️ pic.twitter.com/AX9ytE0b1u
— The List (@ListComesForAll) March 27, 2023
According to the Tennessee police, Hale had drawn a detailed map of the building, including possible entry points, and conducted surveillance of the premises prior to the attack. He was found to be in possession of two “assault-style” weapons and a handgun, two of which were believed to be legally obtained in the Nashville area. A search of Hale’s home revealed a sawed-off shotgun and a second shotgun.
The Daily Wire is a conservative media company founded by Ben Shapiro and Jeremy Boreing in 2015. Shapiro hosts the popular podcast “The Ben Shapiro Show” and Walsh is an author, commentator, podcast host, and columnist. Walsh recently starred in a documentary titled “What Is a Woman?,” which explored the issues of gender ideology and biological sex. He has since received death threats in response.
As of now, the details surrounding Hale’s motivations in the shooting remain unclear and no link between the shooter, the Daily Wire, and any of its commentators has been established.
