The FBI’s refusal to release the Covenant School shooter’s manifesto for over a year has raised concerns about government transparency and accountability. The Tennessee Star, after a prolonged battle, finally made the manifesto public, exposing the extent to which the FBI and local authorities resisted its release. Critics argue that an organization meant to serve the public shouldn’t be hiding information from the very people it serves.
Michael Patrick Leahy, CEO of the Tennessee Star, has been leading the fight to obtain the shooter’s manifesto. He expressed his frustration, saying, “We’re just a journalistic organization seeking documents which the public has a right to see, and at every level, the local government has obstructed those desires, as has the FBI.” According to Leahy, the Metro Nashville Police Department has repeatedly claimed the investigation was ongoing, offering this as their reason for withholding the manifesto. However, the investigation was supposed to conclude by June 2024, and yet by September, authorities were still refusing to release the information.
Leahy sees this as nothing more than a delaying tactic. “It’s basically a stalling tactic because they don’t want this information out,” he explained. The struggle over this information even led to Leahy being brought to court under the threat of contempt charges. Despite these challenges, he persisted, arguing that understanding the shooter’s motives is essential for the public to grapple with broader issues like mental health and public safety.
The manifesto revealed that Audrey Hale, the shooter, had been struggling with severe mental health issues for years. Hale had been under psychiatric care at Vanderbilt University Medical Center for over two decades and had been prescribed powerful SSRI drugs since 2019. Many, including Leahy, believe this information is crucial for understanding why such tragic events happen. “This is a matter of public interest,” Leahy said, highlighting that the shooter’s writings show her troubled state of mind and the failures of the mental health system to address her needs.
Leahy also emphasized that the focus of the conversation has been misdirected. “They try to make it about gun control,” he said. “The real issue here is how our children are suffering from mental illness and not being treated properly and how they’re being overprescribed with psychiatric drugs.”
This case has raised serious questions about the role of the FBI and local authorities in withholding vital information. Many believe the public deserves to know the full story, especially when it comes to incidents of mass violence. The battle over the release of the manifesto serves as a reminder that government agencies should be transparent, especially when the public’s right to know is at stake.
