The Covenant Presbyterian Church and Covenant School are taking legal action to block the public release of the manifesto written by the transgender shooter who carried out a deadly attack at the school in Nashville, Tennessee. According to court documents, the shooter, a 28-year-old female, opened fire at the Christian school, resulting in the tragic deaths of three children and three adult staff members. The shooter was eventually shot and killed by the police.
Authorities found the shooter’s manifesto at her home, which included a map of the school and other writings. Police revealed that the shooter had been planning the attack for months. In late April, the Metro Nashville Police Department announced that they were reviewing the manifesto for public release. However, the department’s attorneys advised against releasing the materials due to ongoing lawsuits filed by the Tennessee Firearms Association and the Nashville Police Association.
These lawsuits demanded the public release of the shooter’s writings and police communications related to the manifesto. The Covenant Church, in its court filings, requested that the documents not be released to the public, citing privacy concerns. They claimed that the manifesto may contain information owned by the church, such as schematics of church facilities and confidential employee information, and that its release could jeopardize the church’s ability to protect its interests and the privacy of its employees.
A judge is scheduled to hear the church’s motion on Thursday. Clata Brewer, acting on behalf of the National Police Association, did not object to the church’s request. She stated that she does not oppose the motion for the purpose of allowing the church to assert its alleged interests.
In response to these developments, 66 out of 74 Tennessee House Republicans signed a letter calling for the release of the shooter’s writings, as well as relevant medical records and toxicology reports. They argue that these materials are crucial for the General Assembly to develop effective solutions to prevent future acts of violence.
Hopefully their efforts will result in understanding the shooter’s motivations more clearly.
