Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) confirmed on Wednesday that seven of its officers have been placed on administrative assignment following the leak of at least three pages of Covenant killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale’s manifesto to conservative commentator and comedian Steven Crowder, who published them Monday.
Crowder initially reported the seven officers were placed on leave in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “The powers that be are more concerned about finding the leaker than they are about the contents of Audrey Hale’s anti-white manifesto,” wrote Crowder.
BREAKING: 7 Nashville officers were just placed on admin leave in connection with the release of the #NashvilleManifesto.
The powers that be are more concerned about finding the leaker than they are about the contents of Audrey Hale’s anti-white manifesto.
Interesting.
— Steven Crowder (@scrowder) November 8, 2023
MNPD confirmed the reports are accurate in a statement to WSMV, with spokesman Don Aaron confirming to the outlet the officers “are on administrative assignment to protect the integrity of the active, progressing investigation.” He reportedly insisted the move was “absolutely not-punitive,” and said the officers will not be identified.
The outlet added that Aaron said the seven officers “continue to have full police power” but will not be involved in the investigation.
The Tennessee Star asked MNPD about the separate report indicating two officers “are due to be fired” for their actions related to the manifesto release earlier on Wednesday, but the department dismissed it and said the investigation was ongoing.
The police department originally claimed it had “no idea” what Crowder had, and first acknowledged the existence of an investigation into how the documents leaked, before MNPD Police Chief John Drake eventually acknowledged they are “writings from the Covenant school shooter” while pledging to investigate the source of the “unauthorized release” of Hale’s manifesto.
On Tuesday, attorneys for The Star parent company Star News Digital Media Inc. filed a motion to compel limited discovery in its ongoing lawsuit to force the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to release Hale’s full manifesto. The motion seeks to compel limited discovery to force the FBI to determine the authenticity of the pages released by Crowder.
Should the FBI deem the documents authentic, the filing requests the FBI be compelled to explain why the manifesto cannot be released in a redacted form.
The three pages of the manifesto that were released seem to indicate Hale, who reportedly identified as a transgender male, harbored extreme hatred for white people that apparently influenced her decision to commit a school shooting.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News and the Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Covenant School Attack” by Metro Nashville Police Department.
Chief Drake had and has a ELECTED boss. Mayor O’Connell should order it released in OBEDIENCE to State Law u dear which he serves!
Does anyone see a parallel to the “Resistance” in the Trump administration?
We are seeing at least one person that went against orders and let this information loose.
I would hope that Mayor O’Connell understands the reason such an “embarrassment.” such a leak is supposed to create.
These guys should get the medal of honor.
Wow. They narrowed that investigation down in 2 days.
Something tells me Father of the Year Drake will be more strict with officers of a certain pallor than he was with Junior.
The person who should be suspended is Drake, who hid this information from the public. For what reason , what was his agenda? Many of the people who fall in to this woke movement and grievance politics are mentally ill…..
Sounds about right. Prosecute the leaker and honor the killer. Left-tard thinking.
Drake should resign, or be fired, for his stonewalling on the release of the writings. Had he followed the law initially this “leak” would not even exist.