The Tennessee Star has obtained the FBI memo sent to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) on May 11, 2023 from a source familiar with the Covenant killer investigation.
The letterhead and heading used for the memo indicate it originated at the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group in Quantico, Virginia. The opening paragraphs reveal it was sent by the FBI’s Behavioral Threat Assessment Center (BTAC), the home of the FBI’s Behavorial Analysis Unit (BAU-1). The memo was not signed.
The memo does not specifically mention Audrey Elizabeth Hale, who fatally shot three 9-year-old students and three faculty members in the devastating March 27, 2023 attack at the Covenant School in Nashville.
It was, however, sent two days after Star News Digital Media, Inc., which owns The Tennessee Star, and the company’s CEO, Michael Patrick Leahy, filed a lawsuit against the FBI in federal court to compel the release of Hale’s written documents, including those sometimes called a manifesto, and one day after Star News Digital Media, Inc. and Leahy filed a lawsuit against Metro Nashville Davidson County Government in state court for the same purpose.
The FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit has been involved in the MNPD’s investigation into the Covenant killings since the very first day, sources familiar with the investigation have told The Star. MNPD Public Affairs Director Don Aaron confirmed the FBI’s involvement in the investigation to The Star when asked about the FBI memo on Tuesday, though he did not specify the date at which that involvement began.
“As has been publicly acknowledged, the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit has assisted in this Homicide investigation,” Aaron told The Star.
“Any material related to that assistance that is part of the open case file is protected. As I referenced earlier today, our Homicide team is working to bring this matter to a conclusion,” Aaron added.
Addressed to Metro Police Chief John Drake, the memo “strongly discourages” MNPD from releasing “legacy tokens” left by a mass murderer.
The FBI memo explains those who commit mass shootings “often leave behind items to claim credit for the attack and / or articulate the motivation behind it.” The agency “refers to these items as legacy tokens.”
The term “legacy token” appears to be a creation of the FBI. A June 2018 FBI document studying pre-attack behaviors of active shooters defines “legacy tokens” as “a communication prepared by the offender to claim credit for the attack and articulate the motives underlying the shooting.”
Examples, according to the federal agency, “include manifestos, videos, social media postings, or other communications deliberately created by the shooter and delivered or staged for discovery by others, usually near in time to the shooting.”
The FBI, according to the memo, “strongly discourages public dissemination of any legacy tokens.”
Three criteria are offered by the FBI and BTAC for why MNPD and other agencies should not release such “legacy tokens” for public dissemination.
According to the FBI, merely releasing the documents contributes to “future attacks” because, “Future attackers will immerse themselves in and study these materials for inspiration and tactics.”
The first point listed in the memo further claims “[i]nfamy and notoriety are major motivators for many attackers,” and “dispersion of legacy tokens through the media will only further the infamous and notorious goals of the offender.”
In its second point, the FBI acknowledges the desire for public release of “legacy tokens” often “revolves around the public’s need to understand what led to such tragic events.” However, the FBI claims “legacy tokens” seldom provide such comfort, and instead could lead the public “to dismiss the attacker as mentally ill,” which would “further permeate the false narrative that the majority of attackers are mentally ill.”
The FBI, in its third point, claims that releasing “legacy tokens” will lead to the spread of “false narratives.”
“Public access to legacy tokens will also facilitate false narratives and inaccurate information,” the FBI claimed, asserting that releasing information written by mass shooters will result in “pontificators” and “self-professed ‘experts'” who “will proffer their perspectives” in the press, “potentially inflaming the public.”
Releasing “legacy tokens” could also result in “unintended consequences for the segment of the population more vulnerable or open to conspiracy theories, which will undoubtedly abound,” the FBI claimed.
The memo also raised the precedent for destroying “legacy tokens,” noting materials from the 1999 Columbine High School attack were never released and permanently destroyed.
The memo does not suggest destroying materials from an investigation, but it does inform Chief Drake, “There is existing precedent for not releasing legacy token materials to the public, most notably the decision to destroy the ‘Basement Tapes’ produced by the offenders of the Columbine High School attack.”
While the memo raised the precedent for destruction of “legacy tokens” after the Columbine attack, MNPD Public Affairs Director Don Aaron told The Star on Tuesday that police have not destroyed any materials from the Covenant investigation.
Though the Columbine Tapes were never publicly released, redacted transcripts, excerpts and summaries of the contents of tapes are available online.
The FBI concluded their memo to MNPD by claiming “legacy tokens” related to school shootings are particularly “likely to spark incredibly intense interest and study by potential offenders who are considering a school based attack,” and claimed “[e]xperts agree” society should take steps to reduce such attacks that include “limiting the availability of legacy tokens for ideation, study, and inspiration by those considering an attack.”
Existence of the memo was previously revealed to The Star on Tuesday. This is the first time the contents of memo has been publicly reported and the document has been released.
The Star contacted the FBI for comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.
Born a biological female, Hale identified as a transgender man at the time of her devastating attack on the Covenant School on March 27, 2023. Three pages of writings by Hale, recovered from her car, were leaked and subsequently published in 2023.
You can view the May 11, 2023 memo from the FBI to MNPD here:
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Years ago, I believe it was in the mid to late 90’s when I heard a story about how the Democrats said that soon there would be mass shootings and our children would be the targets and that we would be begging the government to come and take away our guns to keep our kids safe. Back then I thought ya right that will never happen. But I was wrong. It was about 10 years later that is exactly what started to happen. So, this to me sounds like this has all been planned by some evil, demonic, deep state government department. All I can say is look at how deranged the Democrats are today.
The event happened at a school, but at age of 28, was she enrolled in that school? The classification as a “school” event is a stretch. Her target (a gun free zone) was max pain and suffering on those she wanted to kill. A gun free zone made it easier to do her wickedness. To create a legal definition to prevent the public right to know is also wrong. “Legacy Tokens” are wordsmithed intentionally by those in government, to prevent the public’s right to know why this event happened, all the 5Ws and not to protect the government “tokens”. Protect and Serve all Americans, not just a slogan. Let the truth be known….and the people will decide…
BOY if this isn’t the biggest crock of bullshit. LEGACY TOKENS. I wonder what genious came up with that term? It’s all about protecting the FBI & their informants.
It sounds conspiratorial. If Covington murders were a one time event, I’d agree. But we are looking at years and years of cases with questionable investigative tactics all involving the FBI first coming in & stopping flow of information.
The FBI has not been a Law Enforcement Agency at least since Obama came into office, & Eric Holder was his ATTORNEY GENERAL (his Wing Man), convicted of Contempt of Congress, which resulted in no consequences. But he did oversee the FBI. Also he oversaw the failed Firearms Scandal of selling firearms to Mexican Cartels, which resulted in one of our great Border Agents being murdered by the very weapons
Holder sold.. Eric received no consequences.
The Las Vegas shooting where 60 innocent Country Music Fans were slaughtered like fish in a barrel by a strange man, who had been living in the Phillipines. And supposedly, he just rented two rooms where he could shoot down on thousands of people, who had no way out. No one inbthe hotel noticed the very strange man bringing in cards a & carts of weapons? Where did he buy them? He didn’t bring them from the Phillipines. No one will know the truth, bc the FBI came in & took over the investigation from local police. This Conspirator doesn’t buy their BS reports.
During Obamas term, I recall a mass Shooting in Parkland, FL, which the FBI knew the shooter & his threats. Could the shooter have been an FBI asset (informant)? They definitely knew of his threats to shoot up the school. The perp tried to kill his own mother. What else do we know? You really had to be paying attention to details. It was a web of deceit involving several agencies.
Obama funded a “program ” for schools called the Promise Program. This was the only school I’m aware of that received huge amounts of tax dollars, to be shared with & in cooperation with the local Sheriffs Dept. The school superintendent was a friend of Obamas from Chicago if my memory is correct. AND Sheriff Israel were both openly Democrats. NO real law enforcement agency would have participated in this sick operation.
The purpose of the Promise Program was to NOT ARREST & prosecute Juvenile Offenders of Color. Supposedly, so that the little criminals wouldn’t have to overcome a record of crime in later years of their development.
At the time of the Parkland shooting, the lilltle thug had turned 18, he was expelled bc he was a threat & with no record, he was able to legally purchase weapons. Parents were unaware of this dangerous thug. His criminal history was hidden thanks to the Sheriff. If you recall when the Sheriffs Deputies responded to the school shooting, Sheriff Israel told them to stand down, against their better judgements. Finally, it was a neighboring agency that showed up, & went into the school & killed the shooter. By that time so many students & teachers were dead. It was a nightmare.
I could cite many more questionable incidents, but they all involved the FBI shutting down local investigations.
So now we’re supposed to belive this FBI MEMO dated shortly after the Covington School Shooting, signed by no one is legit? I DONT THINK SO. Some of us smell a stinking rat.
Honestly, I hope President Trump abolishes the FBI agency altogether, & destroys the entire ugly building. It’s a stain on America Like all DC three letter agencies, it’s corrupt to the core & has been for decades.
Most recently the FBI stooped so low as to arrest a 75 year old woman for protesting peacefully at an Abortion Clinic in DC, which she has a First Amendment Right to do. The Corrupt DOJ prosecuted her & gave her two years in prison & 3 yrs probation. That is Criminal. Just like their involvement with hundreds of FBI ASSETS & INFORMANTS at the US Capitol on Jan 6, 2021, at the Stop The Steal Protest. The FBI & DOJ have fought desperately to keep all the J6 CCTV VIDEOS from being released bc they know that we know they’re guilty of Entrapment & illegal prosecution of Trump supporters, who had no idea any barriers had been taken down by the time they finally reached the Capitol.
The local Metro DC POLICE HAD NO AUTHORITY AT ALL to be present on Federal Capitol property, firing rubber bullets & flash bangs into a crowd of people who were literally singing the National.Anthem & taking pictures & videos of their US Capitol. The FBI do not want the videos released bc people will be identified as assets dressed in Trump gear. Antifa Anarchists were there, seen changing into Trump Gear on video. So it’s not a conspiracy. I’m so sick of the Left always blaming Trump Supporters for the exact thing they are doing. January 6 was a Coups carried out by the FBI, not the Patriots. The entire exercise was to intimidate stupid, cowardly Elected Representatives & Senators into certifying a totally illegitimate President. Thank you Marsha & Bill.
The FIB is an active enemy of the people of this country. Theu interfere in our elections. They manufacture crimes and help criminals, foreign and domestic, to promote their narrative of events to influence the public.
From the so-called Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping attempt they dreamed up, to James Comey’s constant MSNBC appearances, Whitey Bulger, Waco, etc. No one rememvers them recruiting two Middle Easterners from Arizona where the agent literallly drove them to the doorstep of a Draw Mohammed event in Garland, TX following the Charlie Hebdo massacre and instructed them to “tear Texas up”. A security guard shot them but the FBI’s goal was to encourage mass murder of US citizens at a free speech event.
And they’veneen doing the devil’s work for a long time.
https://theintercept.com/2016/08/09/fbi-agent-goaded-garland-shooter-to-tear-up-texas-raising-new-alarms-about-bureaus-methods/
How many times do we have an event happen and the FiB says the person was on their radar and were interviewed but deemed ok.
Tear down the building. Salt the Esrth. Give them a show trial since they like them so much.
I doubt the FBI has any moral or legal right to hide the facts or information surrounding why mentally I’ll people kill others. They have spread more false narratives than the Federal Department of Education.