The FBI’s resistance to releasing the Covenant School shooter’s manifesto has sparked frustration, with many questioning why an organization designed to serve the public is so intent on keeping this information hidden. After a prolonged legal battle, the Tennessee Star finally made the document public, exposing details about the shooter’s mental health struggles and the broader failures of the system.
Michael Patrick Leahy, CEO of the Tennessee Star, has been at the forefront of the fight to obtain the manifesto. He explained that his organization has been stonewalled at every level, with both the local government and the FBI refusing to release documents they believe the public has a right to see. “It’s basically a stalling tactic because they don’t want this information out,” Leahy said.
Despite claims that the investigation was ongoing, the authorities had previously stated the investigation would be concluded by June 2024. Yet, by September, the document was still being withheld. Leahy was even brought to court under the threat of contempt charges during the struggle to release the information, but he remained determined.
The released manifesto sheds light on the mental health issues Audrey Hale, the shooter, had been facing for years. Hale had been under psychiatric care at Vanderbilt University Medical Center for 22 years and was prescribed SSRI drugs in 2019. Leahy believes these facts are critical for understanding the motives behind the shooting. “What is the motivation behind these mass murders committed by very troubled people?” he asked.
Leahy also emphasized that the national conversation has been misdirected toward gun control, when the real issue lies with the mental health system’s failure to treat individuals properly. “Our children are suffering from mental illness and not being treated properly,” he said, adding that the over-prescription of psychiatric drugs has further compounded the problem.
This case highlights ongoing concerns about government transparency, with many feeling that the FBI’s actions in this case have undermined the public’s trust.
