More than two weeks after 28-year-old Audrey Elizabeth Hale, who identified as transgender, carried out a mass shooting at a Christian school in Nashville, the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are refusing to provide information about a manifesto left behind by the shooter.
Hale shot and killed six people, including three children, at The Covenant School on March 27.
Hale was shot dead at the scene.
Since then, questions about Hale’s motive have lingered as the public attempts to make sense of the vicious attack.
“As the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) is leading this investigation, I will need to refer you to them for comment,” FBI spokeswoman Mary Clement told The Tennessee Star Tuesday. “Any and all information that may or may not be released will be at the direction of MNPD.”
After the FBI punted The Star’s questions to MNPD, The Star once again followed up with the police force, asking when the public can expect results of the analysis of the manifesto to be made public.
“There is no timeline,” said Don Aaron, an MNPD spokesman.
On April 3, MNPD first confirmed that it was investigating the manifesto in conjunction with the FBI.
“In the collective writings by Hale found in her vehicle in the school parking lot, and others later found in the bedroom of her home, she documented, in journals, her planning over a period of months to commit mass murder at The Covenant School,” police said at the time.
“The writings remain under careful review by the MNPD and the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit based in Quantico, Virginia,” MNPD said. “The motive for Hale’s actions has not been established and remains under investigation by the Homicide Unit in consultation with the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.”
The shooting precipitated massive political unrest in Tennessee, including a riot at the Tennessee Capitol led by three Democrat lawmakers.
No criminal charges were filed against the rioters, despite a physical altercation with State Troopers guarding the Capitol.
That riot led to the expulsion of State Representative Justin Jones (D-Nashville) and former State Representative Justin Pearson (D-Memphis), sending shockwaves nationwide.
Monday night, the Metro Nashville Council voted to reinstate Jones on an interim basis until a special election can be held for his seat.
Wednesday, the Shelby County Commission will hold a similar vote to decide Pearson’s future.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter.
Photo “Audrey Elizabeth Hale” by Metro Nashville PD.
