Franklin official's false Covenant shooting theories prompts calls for resignation

Franklin Alderman Gabrielle Hanson is facing public scrutiny for espousing her unfounded belief in a cover-up of the Covenant School shooting motive and suggesting she experienced a premonition about the tragic event.

Meanwhile, the topic was barely discussed at the city's first board of mayor and aldermen meeting since the controversy emerged last week. Tuesday's gathering proved to be mostly business as usual as elected leaders discussed large projects, long-term planning and honored influential citizens.

However, the nuts-and-bolts discussion of city business remained partially overshadowed by Hanson's comments made days earlier on a conservative advocacy podcast. She said a “love triangle” was the motive in the school shooting.

One resident at the meeting said Hanson should resign. Later, city leaders explained that residents emailed ethics complaints, while explaining the review process.

At least 25 email complaints have been filed against Hanson, seeking her resignation. The recently formed city ethics committee will review the complaints, which will be forwarded to the city attorney then the ethics commission.

Stuckey said the ethics ordinance follows state guidelines. Complaints are forwarded to the city attorney then the ethics commission. Hanson will have 30 days to file a response.

A public hearing with the city ethics commission for Hanson is June 20 at 5 p.m. at Franklin City Hall.

Did Hanson address comments at meeting?

Neither Hanson nor other aldermen addressed Hanson's previous comments directly at the meeting, although Matt Brown and Patrick Baggett later released statements. And just before adjournment, Jason Potts asked about next steps for the ethics complaints.

For now, Franklin officials appear focused on the blue-collar business of guiding the city for a few months and avoiding the area's latest culture war-type debate — at least until the ethics review is complete.

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Citizen public comments

Jared Sullivan, a Franklin resident who grew up in the city and recently co-organized the “Rally for Common-sense Gun Laws”, asked during the public comment period for Hanson to resign.

“Her remarks were so slanderous that I wouldn’t dare repeat them here," Sullivan said, referencing Hanson's podcast and radio interviews. “Hanson has not issued an apology or a retraction. I struggle to imagine more insulting, undignified behavior from a city alderman.”

“We are a sane, civil community and Hanson has demonstrated herself to be anything but. Instead she has openly promoted conspiracy theories and refused to own up to her mistakes when confronted by fact," Sullivan added. “She is unhinged and unfit to serve this community.”

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Franklin aldermen comments

Baggett released a statement late Tuesday night.

“We have many important issues impacting our community in Franklin that I wish to focus on," Baggett's statement read. "Alderman Hanson has chosen to speak publicly on topics unrelated to our role as Aldermen. While I seriously question the wisdom of her statements, we must follow our ordinances regarding ethics complaints and ensure a fair review so we can then turn our attention to the more pressing issues of the City.”

Brown issued a statement Wednesday morning, describing Hanson's comments as incredibly disheartening.

"They are not reflective of my values nor do I believe they reflect the values of this amazing city that I love," Brown said. "Out of respect for the Ethics Commission and its process, I am going to hold on making further comments at this time. In the meantime, it is my hope that we, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, can focus our attention on the many important issues in front of us."

Hanson: 'I know what happened'

During an April 18 podcast interview with Steve Abramowicz, the host and editor of Mill Creek View, Hanson stated that a “love triangle” was the motive behind Audrey Hale fatally shooting multiple children and adults at Covenant School in March.

"So, from contacts I have in Nashville, within 30 minutes of that shooting, I had the whole story,” Hanson said. "I know what happened. There was no threat to anyone else."

Investigators have stated that Hale’s written materials were “ramblings” that have not pointed to a clear motive.

Metro Nashville Police Department spokesperson Don Aaron on Tuesday said the love triangle theory “has never come up in our investigation.”

“We believe that assertion to be false,” Aaron added.

Later in the interview, Abramowicz indicated a cover-up was underway.

"This is why they must not want to release what they are calling a manifesto or the diaries or the laptops or the cell phones or any of the other incriminating evidence because it would take away the entire narrative of the fact that we are a bunch of racists with automatic weapons,” Abramowicz said.

Hanson’s response: "Right. Yeah.”

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Hanson: Not surprised about Covenant shooting

The alderman also stated she had a “gut” premonition about the shooting during the podcast interview.

"I just felt it," Hanson said. "Don't ask me how. It could be a holy spirit thing. I felt an active shooter coming. So, when (the shooting) happened Monday, I was not surprised."

Two days later, Hanson was a guest on conservative radio station SuperTalk 99.7 WTN. She was questioned extensively by host Matt Murphy about her “contacts” and theory about the shooting.

“I knew, through my sources, that several factual elements in her statements were false, and I found it impossible to believe she had been ‘told’ by someone 30 minutes after the fact the entire backstory of what she claims happened,” Murphy told The Tennessean. “She was also repeating gossip that had been debunked weeks ago.”

“I do not like gossip, particularly when it is of such a sensitive, personal, painful nature."

Hanson said Friday that her family has been threatened following the interviews and social media criticism.

Hanson's husband, Tommy, in late March posted a video on his Congressional campaign Facebook page, stating "there was a relationship between the shooter and some of the people there" about the Covenant School shooting.

"They are withholding the information because they are trying to decide whether it was a terrorist attack or maybe some sort of a personal connection there that could classify differently," said Tommy Hanson, a Congressional candidate last year in Chicago.

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TN official's Nashville school shooting theories prompts complaints