Audrey Hale: FBI stalling release of Nashville shooter manifesto, local politicians say

Almost a month after Audrey Hale, who identified as transgender, killed six at the city’s Covenant elementary school before being shot by police, authorities have yet to release a motive or any of the writings seized from her home, despite growing pressure, the NY Post reports.

Tennessee Republican Congressman Tim Burchett told The Post he knew the FBI was behind the delay, saying the news was “disappointing” and calling for documents to be released to grieving loved ones as well as members of Congress.

The manifesto “could maybe tell us a little bit about what’s going on inside of her head,” he added. “I think that would answer a lot of questions.”

Twenty journals, five laptops, a suicide note and various other notes written by Hale were seized from the house she shared with her parents as well as two memoirs, five Covenant School yearbooks and seven cellphones, according to a search warrant.

Metro Nashville Council Member Courtney Johnston confirmed to The Post the FBI has already ruled the manifesto would not be released any time soon.

“What I was told is, her manifesto was a blueprint on total destruction, and it was so, so detailed at the level of what she had planned,” she said, when reached by phone.

“That document in the wrong person’s hands would be astronomically dangerous.”

Ms Johnston said “parts” of Hale’s writings would eventually come out, but added she feels “the vast, overwhelming majority of it,” presented too much of a danger to the public.

“I personally don’t want to know the depths to which her psychosis reached,” she added.

“When I’m told by an MNPD high-ranking official that it keeps him up at night, I’m going to defer to that person in that agency that I don’t need to read that.”

The two agencies handling the investigation, Metro Nashville Police Department and the FBI, each deferred The Post to the other agency when contacted. Although MNPD is leading the investigation, spokesperson Don Aaron said material related to Hale is still “under analysis” by the FBI.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch described the writings he had seen during a meeting with the Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association, reportedly saying, “The documents that we have, and I have viewed those, you know, one is specifically a plan and the other is some journal-type rantings.”

Former police officer-turned author and adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice Joseph Giacalone said the public “has a right to know” what’s in the manifesto “even if it’s heavily redacted,” but believes authorities are worried about the effect releasing it could have.

“I think what the FBI is really concerned here with, and I think law enforcement, is that if there is something in there that is truly damaging for the transgender community, I think they are hesitant to do it because they are afraid of a violent backlash against that protected class of people,” he said.

However, Giacalone also warned if authorities did release a heavily redacted version of the manifesto, “you run the risk of letting speculation run the day.”

Hale unleashed a hail of 152 bullets during her 14 minute killing spree, killing nine-year-olds Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney as well as school janitor Mike Hill, substitute teacher Cynthia Peak and headmistress Katherine Koonce, who reportedly ran toward the shooter to try to protect the school.

Rasmussen Reports surveyed 971 people in the aftermath and found that 68 per cent believed Hale’s alleged manifesto should be released.

Tennessee Republican Congressman Andy Ogles said if the writings are not ultimately released, “then we need to investigate why.”

Walter Hudson, a Republican state representative from Minnesota, has also pushed for their release. He recalled to The Post conversations with citizens who have expressed “increasing distrust with the FBI and with government agencies generally.”

“One of the greatest threats to democracy or, as I would say, threats to the Constitutional Republic, is the erosion of trust in institutions. The FBI is one of those institutions,” he said, adding he thinks public trust in the intelligence agency has wavered.

He added, “If you’re going to wield power in a free country, then you have a responsibility to maintain the public’s trust in that power — and the FBI needs to figure out how to do that.”

This article originally appeared on NY Post and was reproduced with permission