THE former student who shot through the doors of a Christian elementary school in Nashville and killed three children and three adults had drawn a detailed map of the school.

The shooter, who identified as transgender and went by the name of Audrey Elizabeth Hale, planned out potential entry points, and conducted surveillance of the building before carrying out the massacre.

The victims were identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney, all nine years old, and adults Cynthia Peak, Katherine Koonce and Mike Hill.

Ms Hale, who was shot dead at the scene, had no criminal history, carried out the attack using two “assault style” rifles and a pistol.

Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake did not say exactly what drove the shooter to open fire but he said: “We have a manifesto, we have some writings that we’re going over that pertain to this date, the actual incident.”

He said in an interview with NBC News that investigators believe the shooter had “some resentment for having to go to that school.”

A statement from the school said: “Our community is heartbroken. 

“We are grieving tremendous loss and are in shock coming out of the terror that shattered our school and church.”