Sarkes Tarzian v. U.S. Department of Justice

Case Number: 1:26-cv-00221

Court: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee

Client: Sarkes Tarzian

Background: On July 16, 2015, Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez opened fire at two military facilities in Chattanooga, Tennessee, killing five service members before being killed in a shootout with police. The FBI has publicly said it believes Abdulazeez acted alone. 

In February 2025, a reporter for Local 3 News in Chattanooga submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the FBI seeking all unclassified records related to the investigation of the attack. The FBI denied the request, citing an exemption that shields records compiled for law enforcement purposes that, if disclosed, could reasonably be expected to interfere with future law enforcement proceedings. 

On behalf of Local 3 News, Reporters Committee Tennessee-based attorney Paul McAdoo submitted an administrative appeal of the denial. The U.S. Department of Justice denied the appeal. 

In August 2026, on behalf of Sarkes Tarzian, the owner of Local 3 News, McAdoo filed this FOIA lawsuit, arguing that the FBI and Justice Department violated FOIA by improperly withholding the records. The lawsuit asks the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee to order the FBI to release all non-exempt records responsive to the request. 

Filings:

2026-08-11: Complaint