The unfortunate event at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in 2022, stood as the most tragic school shooting since the 2012 Sandy Hook incident, leading to the loss of 20 children and six school staff members. Unlike the swift reaction of Connecticut State Police during the Sandy Hook tragedy, Texas officers delayed entering the school for more than 75 minutes. A recent Department of Justice report strongly condemns the law enforcement shortcomings that contributed to the unfortunate deaths of 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary.
The Uvalde shooting report was unveiled by the Department of Justice on January 18. Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a statement regarding the results, strongly criticizing the law enforcement reaction.
“The victims and survivors deserved better.”
The Attorney General informed the public that the outcome of inadequate leadership, training, and policies was that three teachers and 33 students were confined with the shooter for over an hour. In that period, numerous individuals in the room suffered gunshot wounds and were bleeding, while law enforcement remained stationed outside the classrooms.
According to the documented timeline, 11 law enforcement officers reached the scene within 3 minutes of the suspect entering the building. Consistent with the national police protocol introduced after the 1999 Columbine shooting, these officers were supposed to enter and eliminate the threat. Nevertheless, they retreated when some of them were hit by shrapnel.
Pete Arredondo, the police chief overseeing Uvalde’s schools, arrived at the scene promptly and assumed the role of the official in charge. Lacking a radio, he relied solely on his cell phone for communication. Surprisingly, despite receiving multiple distress calls from victims within the classrooms, he did not direct officers to enter and secure the areas where the children were trapped.
After 77 minutes from the onset of the shooting, a group of Border Patrol agents entered the room and neutralized the shooter. The report indicates that this action took place following the discharge of 45 rounds by the shooter in the presence of law enforcement officers. Subsequently, families of the victims conducted a press conference and addressed the findings in the report.
