Uvalde, Texas – The US Justice Department is set to release a report on Thursday regarding the delayed police response to the tragic 2022 school shooting that claimed the lives of 19 children and two teachers. The report stems from the department’s “Critical Incident Review” of the law enforcement response, initiated at the request of Uvalde’s mayor shortly after the devastating incident.
Criticism of the police response at Robb Elementary School intensified when it was revealed that law enforcement waited in a hallway for over an hour while the gunman remained barricaded in a classroom and students made frantic 911 calls. The delay prompted a US Border Patrol-led tactical team to eventually enter the classroom and neutralize the gunman.
Texas lawmakers released a report in July 2022, describing the chaotic atmosphere at the scene and concluding that law enforcement failed to prioritize the lives of innocent victims over their own safety. Subsequently, the Justice Department initiated an independent review with the aim of identifying lessons for authorities responding to future mass shootings. The assessment, led by the department’s Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services, involved the collaboration of external experts in emergency management, active shooter response, and school safety.
Prior to the report’s release, Attorney General Merrick Garland and other high-ranking Justice Department officials visited Uvalde on Wednesday to pay their respects at a memorial mural honoring the victims of the tragedy. The forthcoming report is anticipated to shed light on the details of the law enforcement response in hopes of informing and improving future responses to similar crises.