Uvalde, Texas – Families of the victims of the tragic 2022 mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, expressed shock and anger following a report that absolved the police of any wrongdoing. The independent investigator, Jesse Prado, stated that the officers’ actions were in good faith, contradicting previous criticisms of a slow response to the incident.
Veronica Mata, who lost her 10-year-old daughter in the shooting, vehemently disagreed with the findings, pointing out that the officers stood by for 77 minutes while the tragedy unfolded. The attack, carried out by former student Salvador Ramos, resulted in the deaths of 19 students and two teachers, marking it as one of the deadliest school shootings in US history.
During the presentation of his conclusions at Uvalde’s city hall, Mr. Prado faced strong opposition from some of the victims’ families. Several family members left in protest before the investigator could finish his report. The investigation, initiated by the Uvalde city council, aimed to assess the local police response’s effectiveness at Robb Elementary School.
While the report cleared the police of serious misconduct, it highlighted communication issues among responding officers, inadequate training for active shooter situations, a lack of specialized equipment, and delays in accessing the classroom where the shooter was located. Criticism also arose from the fact that officers waited despite multiple calls indicating children were still alive inside.
Kimberly Rubio, who lost her daughter Lexi in the shooting, addressed the meeting, seeking justice and accountability for the victims. Past reports from various federal agencies have heavily criticized the Uvalde Police Department for their handling of the incident, noting that officers hesitated to confront the shooter as he carried out his deadly assault.
The report’s focus on the delayed response shed light on failures in leadership, decision-making, tactics, policies, and training within the police department. Nearly 400 officers eventually responded to the scene, but it took over an hour for them to engage and neutralize the 18-year-old assailant. This delayed action was deemed a pivotal failure in recognizing and addressing the active shooter situation at Robb Elementary School.