Nashville mayor launches probe into leak of Covenant School shooter’s purported manifesto

The Nashville mayor launched an investigation into the leak of the Covenant School shooter’s alleged manifesto by a conservative media figure, although the lead investigator said he could not confirm whether the document is authentic.

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell issued his statement after conservative podcast host Steven Crowder released what he said were three pages from the manifesto of Audrey Hale, a transgender former student who shot and killed three children and three staffers in the March 27 attack on the Christian school.

“I have directed Wally Dietz, Metro’s Law Director, to initiate an investigation into how these images could have been released,” Mr. O’Connell said. “That investigation may involve local, state, and federal authorities. I am deeply concerned with the safety, security, and well-being of the Covenant families and all Nashvillians who are grieving.”

In a statement, Mr. Dietz confirmed that “I am initiating a full investigation with multiple law enforcement agencies to determine exactly what happened.”

“At this time, we have limited information about this possible leak of documents related to the tragic shooting at Covenant School,” Mr. Dietz told The Washington Times. “I cannot confirm or deny the authenticity of the documents due to the existing lawsuit.”

Mr. Crowder, host of the Louder with Crowder podcast, said the three-page excerpt was part of the manifesto of Audrey Hale, 28, who was shot and killed by Nashville police 14 minutes after the attack began.

The Washington Times has not verified the authenticity of the alleged manifesto.

The entries posted online by Mr. Crowder indicate that the shooter was motivated by anti-racism, saying “wanna kill all you little crackers!!! Bunch of little fa***ts w/your white privileges,” even though Hale was also White.

Hale had previously attended the school.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department also said that the document is under investigation.

“The MNPD is in communication with the Metropolitan Department of Law as an investigation, begun this morning, continues into the dissemination of three photographs of writings during an on-line discussion about Covenant School. The photographs are not MNPD crime scene images,” the department said.

In addition, the “police department has been in contact with a representative of Covenant families. Police department counselors are available to assist them in coping with the emotional trauma caused by the dissemination.”

David Raybin, an attorney for Hale’s parents, said he could not confirm the manifesto’s authenticity.

“We have never seen a manifesto at any time. We’re not in a position to authenticate these pieces of paper. We have absolutely not released anything, but we certainly did not release this,” Mr. Raybin told NewsChannel5 in Nashville.

“It’s inappropriate for me to make any further comment about it,” he added.

The handwritten journal allegedly written by Hale included statements such as: “Kill those kids!!! Those crackers going to fancy private schools with those fancy khakis & sports backpacks” and blasts at students with their “daddies [sic] mustangs & convertibles” and “mop yellow hair.”

The spiral journal concluded with an entry dated March 27 with the message “DEATH DAY” and a drawing of a handgun.

“I’m a little nervous, but excited too. Been excited for the past 2 weeks,” the entry says. “There were several times I could have been caught especially in the summer of 2021.”

The entry ends: “I hope I have a high death count. Ready to die ha ha Aiden,” a reference to Hale’s reported transgender name.

Mr. Crowder said the manifesto was obtained by the MugClub Network, a coalition of right-wing media figures that includes Alex Jones, twins Keith and Kevin Hodge, Nick Di Paolo, Bryan Callen, and “Mr. Gunsngear.”

After posting the alleged manifesto pages, Mr. Crowder said Facebook removed the post, citing its standards against “violence and incitement.”

He later said that X, formerly Twitter, had labeled the journal images as “sensitive content” and placed a “content warning” on his original tweet.

Media organizations and conservative groups have sued to have the manifesto released, an effort resisted by the Nashville Police and the FBI.

A group of Covenant School parents has also sought to keep the manifesto under wraps.

In May, Star News Digital Media, owner of the Tennessee Star, sued the FBI to obtain the release of the manifesto, arguing that the “FBI is illegally concealing the information in violation of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA),” according to the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, which filed the motion.

The FBI told the company that the records were being withheld because “there is a pending or prospective law enforcement proceeding relevant to these responsive records, and the release of the information could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings,” the lawsuit said.