U.S. Representative John Rose (R-TN-06) released a statement exclusively to The Tennessee Star Monday after Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake failed to respond to the congressman’s April 26 letter in regards to the Covenant School shooting.
Rose’s letter to Drake requested that the materials seized in relation to the shooting be released without delay. In the case of his request not being able to be fulfilled, Rose also requested a written explanation and timeline as to when the information could be released.
In his letter to the police chief, Rose wrote, “Any discussion of changing state or federal policy are futile without having an accurate account of the shooter’s state of mind, motives, preparation, and planning.”
On May 31, a member of Rose’s staff received confirmation from Drake’s executive assistant that the congressman’s letter was received by the police chief, however, “no response letter would be forthcoming.”
Now, nearly 200 days after sending the letter with no response, Rose said Drake’s “lack of cooperation” is leaving leaders like him “in the dark.”
“Nashvillians and Tennesseans deserve greater transparency and responsiveness on an issue that so deeply affects our community,” Rose said in a statement to The Star. “Chief Drake has completely ignored my reasonable request for more information regarding the evidence seized in the Covenant School shooting. This lack of cooperation is leaving those of us in positions of leadership in the dark, without critical insights that may be helpful as we discuss policy solutions that may prevent future tragedies.”
On the same day he penned Drake, Rose also sent a letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with the same request.
More than five months after receiving Rose’s letter, the FBI responded on October 13 by referring Rose’s requests to the Metro Nashville Police Department.
Rose slammed the FBI’s delayed response to his April 26 letter, calling it “neither comprehensive in nature nor responsive to my questions in any substantive way.”
Congressman Rose will join The Tennessee Star’s Michael Patrick Leahy and Dan Mandis for a live radio interview on Nashville’s Morning News with Dan Mandis at 7:35 am Monday on SuperTalk 99.7 WTN.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “John Drake” by Metro Nashville Police Department. Background Photo “Covenant School” by Metro Nashville Police Department.
