NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell said he and his administration were looking into the unauthorized release of three images from the Covenant school shooter's writings.
This comes after conservative talk show host Steven Crowder released some of the documents from The Covenant School shooter on Monday.
“I have directed Wally Dietz, Metro’s Law Director, to initiate an investigation into how these images could have been released," 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."
Metro Nashville Police said they are aware of the situation since Monday morning.
Police officials has stated that no one has been fired and that the investigation is ongoing into how the documents were released.
"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 online discussion about Covenant School," authorities said. "The photographs are not MNPD crime scene images. 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."
Chief of Police John Drake said in a statement he is disturbed by the release of the documents:
“I am greatly disturbed by today’s unauthorized release of three pages of writings from the Covenant shooter. This police department is extremely serious about the investigation to identify the person responsible. This action showed a total disregard for Covenant families, as well as the court system, which has control of the shooter’s journals at the present time due to litigation filed earlier this year. It is now pending in Davidson County Chancery Court and the Tennessee Court of Appeals. We are not at liberty to release the journals until the courts rule. Our police department looks forward to the ultimate resolution of the litigation concerning the journals.”
Three children and three adults were killed in The Covenant School shooting back in March. The shooter also died after being confronted by police.
"I have never seen the so-called manifesto and neither have my clients," said attorney David Raybin, who represents the shooter's family. "We did not leak it and we are in no position to authenticate what was released. Because of pending litigation, it is now inappropriate to make any further comment."
Multiple sources have told me that the selective leak of three pages of the #CovenantSchool shooting “manifesto” is EXTREMELY misleading. People who have read the whole thing say “there’s something in there for everybody.” Another, “She hated everybody.”
— Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) November 6, 2023
What are the images of?
The leaked images of the Covenant school shooter's writings were in notebooks. One of the pictures appears to show a gloved hand holding the notebook. Another image shows a Metro Nashville Police SUV in the background.
Two of the images show different pieces of notebook paper titled "Death Day."
One of the pages laid out what appears to be a schedule for the shooter. But the times don't match up with what actually happened on March 27. One of the sticky notes on the schedule included the note of a lunchtime. The other page titled "Death Day" had a drawing of a gun pointing at a target at the top of the page.
The shooter's writings are hate-filled and graphic. One part says: "I'm a little nervous but excited too. Been excited for the past 2 weeks." It goes on to say, "Can't believe I'm doing this, but I'm ready. I hope my victims aren't." It goes on to say, "God let my wrath take over my anxiety." The writings say the shooter hopes for a high death count.
The other page is dated Feb. 3 — less than 2 months before the shooting. The writings refer to the shooter's views on children who go to private schools and a desire to kill them. All three pieces of paper appear to be signed by the shooter.
"At the time we have limited information about his possible leak of documents related to the tragic shooting at Covenant School," Metro Legal Attorney Wally Dietz said. "At the request of the mayor, I am initiating a full investigation with multiple law enforcement agencies to determine exactly what happened."
NewsChannel 5 does not have and has never seen the shooter's writings. We have repeatedly requested their release as part of a public records request.
What happened on the day of the shooting?
On the morning of the massacre, the shooter sent an Instagram message to a former middle school basketball teammate.
The shooter said the plan was to die by suicide and that teammate would see it on the news. In the messages the teammate provided to NewsChannel 5, the shooter said that the former teammate would have to see them again in another life. The shooter told the teammate about no longer wanting to live and the need to die.
When police searched the shooter's car and home the day of the shooting, they collected dozens of items including guns, a suicide note, journals, and more. All of those seized documents remain in police custody.
Where are the documents?
Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said earlier in 2023 that the department would release The Covenant School shooter documents if ordered by the court to do so.
Metro's legal attorney Lora Fox said the city would have to address the release of documents at some point.
"I don’t represent the school or the church," she said in mid-October. "We have a conflict we are taking because at the end of the investigation under existing case law the criminal investigation becomes a public record. But they should be heard."
As of now, the documents are part of a pending lawsuit, including five different parties. Most recently, the court granted motions for The Covenant School, Covenant Presbyterian Church and families to intervene in the discussion over the release of documents written by the shooter. While they will not be responsible for the final decision, their opinion will be allowed in the legal discussion over the matter.
As part of that lawsuit, MNPD officers have filed documents saying it could take up to a year to analyze all of the shooter's writings.
The declarations by MNPD Assistant Chief Mike Hagar and Lt. Brent Gibson said that police were still actively investigating the mass shooting that left six people dead in addition to the shooter at The Covenant School. The two said even though the shooter died the investigation doesn't "automatically close."
Where is the court case?
NewsChannel 5 has covered this case since the first day. A lot has happened.
This summer, The Covenant School parents filed statements regarding the shooter's writings, in hopes of demonstrating the harm that would come from releasing the shooter's documents. Of the statements, two came from parents who lost their children that day.
Five different groups have asked the court to release all the documents Metro Police obtained from the shooter. All five — the Tennessee Firearms Association, National Police Association, the Tennessee Star, The Tennessean newspaper, and Sen. Todd Gardenhire — have argued continuously for the release of all the documents. And those petitioners were the reason why the case went to an appeals court.
Metro Police said the shooter had several journals detailing plans for the shooting and had been planning the attack for months. So far, police have indicated it would take a year to analyze all of the writings and documents from the shooter. As of this summer, the writings — still in possession of the Metro Nashville Police Department — would go into the newly established Covenant Children's Trust.
A three-judge panel in the appeals court is now working on a decision on whether Covenant parents have a say in the case.
