Leaders at the Covenant School in Nashville have found support from police groups after filing to block the release of the shooter's manifesto.

The National Police Association (NPA) is part of a legal dispute seeking to obtain copies of shooter Audrey Hale's writings from city and county officials.

Nashville school shooter manifesto: Police group sides with school in lawsuit over release https://t.co/N16IKiCPiF

— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 17, 2023

The concerns

"A judge is expected to make a decision in June, according to the NPA. In addition to the manifesto, the NPA is also seeking copies of police communications related to the document," Fox News reported.

"The police group said The Covenant School is asking to protect floor plans of its facility and personnel information and that the NPA does not object. A judge has scheduled the next hearing for Thursday afternoon," it added.

Church that runs Nashville Christian school where mass killing occurred moves to block public release of trans shooter’s manifesto https://t.co/Dh9pg8Emm2

— TheBlaze (@theblaze) May 17, 2023

The background

"In late April, the Metro Nashville Police Department stated that it was reviewing the manifesto for public release," the Blaze reported.

"However, shortly after the announcement, the department reported that its attorneys advised the department to withhold the materials amid a pair of lawsuits," it added.

News agency sues FBI to release Nashville Christian school shooter's manifesto | Just The News https://t.co/urZO8KNdeb

— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) May 10, 2023

Star News Network filed the lawsuit against the FBI for allegedly violating the First Amendment by repeatedly rejecting Freedom of Information Act requests for the manifesto.

"The lawsuit by the national media outlet based in Tennessee asks a federal district court to order the FBI to release Hale's manifesto and related documents and to declare that the agency violated FOIA by denying the request," Just the News reported.

Clarity at hearing

"The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, a non-profit law firm, is representing Star News Digital Media, Inc., Star News Editor-in-Chief and CEO Michael Patrick Leahy and Star News editor and reporter Matt Kittle," it added.

The latest update reveals that the school is not trying to block the release of details important to the case but is seeking to stop the release of private information about the school and individuals that could cause further harm in the case.

The June hearing should provide clarity on how the manifesto and other materials will be handled, offering a solution that will address the concerns involved for all sides.