Retired Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) Lieutenant Garet Davidson faces charges related to the alleged leak of the Covenant School shooter’s writings. Davidson asserts that these charges are retaliatory, stemming from a misconduct complaint he filed against the department in May 2024.
Davidson was arrested on May 6, 2025, and faces multiple charges, including theft, burglary, and official misconduct. His legal team contends that the charges aim to discredit him as a whistleblower who exposed serious misconduct within the MNPD. The complaint he filed in 2024 alleged mismanagement of the Covenant investigation, bias in disciplinary actions, and failure to adhere to sexual harassment policies.
In June 2024, Davidson publicly expressed concerns about potential retaliation after discussing an FBI memo that instructed police not to release details of the shooter’s writings. He stated, “Part of the reason why I left law enforcement was to avoid some aspects of retaliation.”
The investigation into the leak led to a raid on Davidson’s home by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in November 2024. Although he was not initially named as the leaker, subsequent court filings connected him to the case. The leaked writings revealed the shooter’s anger over her gender identity and his parents’ resistance to his transition.
Davidson’s legal defense fund on GoFundMe was shut down, with the platform citing policies against raising money for legal defenses related to certain crimes. No further details were provided regarding the decision.
The MNPD’s final report on the Covenant School shooting, released in April 2025, downplayed the shooter’s motivations related to gender ideology and animosity toward Christianity, focusing instead on a desire for notoriety. This has led to criticism from some quarters, arguing that the report overlooks significant factors in the tragedy.
