After a prolonged legal battle, the Tennessee Star has successfully obtained and published the Covenant School shooter’s manifesto, bringing to light key details about the shooter’s troubled mental health. The FBI’s resistance to releasing the document has drawn significant criticism, raising concerns about why an agency tasked with serving the public seemed determined to keep this information hidden.
Michael Patrick Leahy, CEO of the Tennessee Star, has been vocal about his frustration with both the FBI and local authorities, accusing them of intentionally delaying the release of the manifesto. “We’re just a journalistic organization seeking documents which the public has a right to see,” Leahy said, noting that the authorities repeatedly claimed the investigation was still ongoing, long after they initially promised it would be concluded.
The manifesto reveals that Audrey Hale, the shooter, had been under psychiatric care for over 20 years and had been prescribed strong psychiatric drugs since 2019. Leahy believes that understanding these mental health struggles is crucial to addressing the root causes of mass violence, rather than focusing solely on gun control.
“This is a matter of public interest,” Leahy said, emphasizing the need for a national conversation about the mental health system’s failures. He argued that the manifesto shows how untreated mental illness, combined with the over-prescription of psychiatric drugs, can lead to tragic consequences.
The FBI’s reluctance to release the manifesto has led to widespread concern about transparency within government agencies, with many questioning whether the public’s right to know is being respected.
