Will ‘summary’ be enough?

Dallas County Attorney Jeannine Ritchie, who refused to release an Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation report on the January school shooting in Perry, seemed to change her mind on Friday. But she gave few details on what would be released and when. .

The Des Moines Register reported that, after the report is “reviewed and analyzed,” she will release a summary of its findings. We don’t know how much information the summary will share with the public.

On the first day of school after holiday break in January, gunfire rang out in a cafeteria, sixth-grader Ahmir Jolliff was killed, and Principal Dan Marburger was critically wounded. He died Jan. 14.

Another six students and staff members were wounded before the shooter, a 17-year-old high school student, turned the gun on himself.

Of course, the Perry community was left shaken and heartbroken. Families involved in the tragedy and community members still want to know more of what happened that day. The DCI report could offer more information.

Ritchie’s willingness to release a summary is welcome. But a “summary” could still leave important gaps and keep the public in the dark about key details.

The reasons for releasing the report are compelling.

It’s possible the report offers insights that can be used to avert another tragedy. It could provide details on the timeline of the response, as well as what worked and did not.

It may shed light on the shooter’s motive, which could prove important in shaping efforts to steer at-risk kids away from violence.

Were mistakes and errors made in response to the incident? If so, is anyone being held accountable?

Public safety officials were exercising the most fundamental duties of government. The public deserves to know how they performed.

“We deserve answers. We deserve transparency. We can’t fight for something if we don’t have the facts,” Bobbi Bushbaum said. She told the Register her son suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

A law enforcement exemption in Iowa’s open records law shields whatever decision Ritchie makes. But the law does not preclude her from releasing information if she wants to.

But a scant report meant to just placate critics will not be enough. Perry residents will still be left asking, “What are they trying to hide?”

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