In the wake of the horrific shooting at a Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee, new details have emerged about the shooter, Audrey Hale, who identified as transgender. According to reports, Hale left behind a comprehensive manifesto that has yet to be released to the public, but lawmakers familiar with its contents have warned of its disturbing nature.
Tennessee Representative Tim Burchett has suggested that the manifesto “could maybe tell us a little bit about what’s going on inside of [Hale’s] head.” However, he and other lawmakers have cautioned against releasing the manifesto to the general public, suggesting it should only be made available to the families of those killed and members of Congress.
Metro Nashville Council Member Courtney Johnston has claimed that the document was “a blueprint on total destruction,” adding that “it was so, so detailed at the level of what [Hale] had planned.” She warned that in the wrong hands, the manifesto would be “astronomically dangerous.”
Despite the calls for the manifesto to be released, the FBI has been hesitant to do so. Criminology professor Joseph Giacalone believes that the agency’s reluctance may be due to fears of a violent backlash against the transgender community if the manifesto contains damaging information.
Law enforcement officials have already uncovered numerous documents from Hale’s vehicle and bedroom, including a plan to commit mass murder at The Covenant School. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch has described one document as “specifically a plan” while the other is “some journal-type rantings.”
As the investigation into the shooting continues, it remains to be seen whether the manifesto will be made available to the public.
Criminology professor Joseph Giacalone has criticized the FBI’s decision to withhold the manifesto from the public. In an interview with the New York Post, he speculated that the agency may be apprehensive about releasing it due to fears of backlash against the transgender community if the manifesto contains information that is damaging for them. Giacalone believes that the FBI’s hesitation is unwarranted and may impede the investigation.
