After a long and contentious legal battle, the manifesto of the Covenant School shooter has been released to the public by the Tennessee Star. The FBI, along with local authorities, had resisted the release for over a year, leading to accusations of unnecessary secrecy from an agency meant to serve the public.

Tennessee Star CEO Michael Patrick Leahy has been vocal in his criticism of the FBI’s behavior throughout the process. “We’re just a journalistic organization seeking documents which the public has a right to see, and at every level, the local government has obstructed those desires, as has the FBI,” he said.

The authorities claimed the investigation was ongoing, using it as a justification to withhold the manifesto. However, the investigation was expected to conclude by June 2024, and by September, it was clear that no progress had been made. Leahy views these delays as a deliberate tactic to prevent the information from becoming public.

The released manifesto reveals disturbing details about Audrey Hale’s mental health. Hale had been under psychiatric care for over two decades and was prescribed strong SSRI drugs, which many believe played a role in her violent actions. Leahy believes this information is crucial to understanding the real issue behind the shooting — not gun control, but the mental health crisis in America.

Leahy argues that the conversation has been misdirected toward the weapon used rather than addressing the root cause: untreated mental illness and the over-prescription of psychiatric drugs. “The real issue here is how our children are suffering from mental illness and not being treated properly,” he said.

The case raises important questions about government transparency, particularly regarding why the FBI fought so hard to keep the manifesto hidden from the public.