NATIONAL NEWS

‘Systemic failures’ in Uvalde school massacre, new report finds

Jul 17, 2022, 1:42 PM | Updated: 1:45 pm
UVALDE, TEXAS - JUNE 17: Gifts are seen at a memorial in front of Robb Elementary School on June 17...
UVALDE, TEXAS - JUNE 17: Gifts are seen at a memorial in front of Robb Elementary School on June 17, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
(Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Nearly 400 law enforcement officials rushed to a mass shooting at a Uvalde elementary school, but “systemic failures” created a chaotic scene that lasted more than an hour before the gunman who took 21 lives was finally confronted and killed, according to a report from investigators released Sunday.

The nearly 80-page report was the first to criticize both state and federal law enforcement and not just local authorities in the Texas town for the bewildering inaction by heavily armed officers as a gunman fired inside a fourth-grade classroom.

“At Robb Elementary, law enforcement responders failed to adhere to their active shooter training, and they failed to prioritize saving innocent lives over their own safety,” the report said.

The gunman fired approximately 142 rounds inside the building, and it is “almost certain” that 100 shots came before any officer entered, according to the report.

The report — the most complete account yet of the hesitant and haphazard response to the May 24 massacre at Robb Elementary School — was written by an investigative committee from the Texas House of Representatives and released to family members Sunday.

According to the report, 376 law enforcement officers massed at the school. The overwhelming majority of those who responded were federal and state law enforcement. That included nearly 150 U.S. Border Patrol agents and 91 state police officials, according to the Tribune.

“It’s a joke. They’re a joke. They’ve got no business wearing a badge. None of them do,” Vincent Salazar, grandfather of 11-year-old Layla Salazer, said Sunday.

The report followed weeks of closed-door interviews with more than 40 people, including witnesses and law enforcement who were on the scene of the shooting.

Flowers that had been piled high in the city’s central square had been removed as of Sunday, leaving a few stuffed animal maps scattered around the fountains alongside photos of some of the children who were killed.

Video from Uvalde shooting shows gunman enter school and officers in hallway retreat after taking fire

A nearly 80-minute hallway surveillance video published by the Austin American-Statesman this week publicly showed for the first time a hesitant and haphazard tactical response, which the head of Texas’ state police has condemned as a failure and some Uvalde residents have blasted as cowardly.

Calls for police accountability have grown in Uvalde since the shooting. So far, only one officer from the scene of the deadliest school shooting in Texas history is known to be on leave.

The report is the result of one of several investigations into the shooting, including another led by the Justice Department. A report earlier this month by tactical experts at Texas State University alleged that a Uvalde police officer had a chance to stop the gunman before he went inside the school armed with an AR-15.

But in an example of the conflicting statements and disputed accounts since the shooting, Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin has said that never happened. That report had been done at the request of the Texas Department of Public Safety, which McLaughlin has increasingly criticized and accused of trying to minimize the role of its troopers during the massacre.

Steve McCraw, the head of Texas DPS, has called the police response an abject failure.

KSL 5 TV Live

Top Stories

National News

Children and a woman depart the reunification center at the Woodmont Baptist church after a school ...
Jonathan Mattise, Travis Loller and Holly Meyer

Nashville shooter who killed 6 drew maps, surveilled school

Police say a former student shot through the doors of a Christian elementary school and killed three children and three adults after elaborately planning the massacre by drawing out a detailed map and conducting surveillance of the building.
9 hours ago
Almost two months after a train carrying hazardous materials derailed in the town of East Palestine...
Brenda Goodman

Government to step up efforts to monitor health of East Palestine residents, first responders

Almost two months after a train carrying hazardous materials derailed in the town of East Palestine, Ohio, the state Department of Health is preparing to offer blood and urine testing and physical exams to first responders who rushed to fight the blaze.
1 day ago
A group prays with a child outside the reunification center at the Woodmont Baptist church after a ...
Associated Press

Nashville school shooter had drawn maps, done surveillance

The suspect, who was killed by police, is believed to be a former student at The Covenant School in Nashville, where the shooting took place.
1 day ago
Local officials say they are standing with the six people killed Monday in a shooting at the Covena...
Eric Levenson and Jennifer Henderson

Victims of Nashville school shooting identified

An armed person fatally shot three 9-year-old students and three adults at a private Christian elementary school in Nashville.
1 day ago
Adele performs on stage as American Express present BST Hyde Park in Hyde Park on July 02, 2022 in ...
Associated Press

Adele extends Las Vegas residency, plans concert film

Adele has announced that she’s extending her Las Vegas residency with 34 more dates between June and November and also plans to release a concert film.
1 day ago
Ron DeSantis...
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to headline Utah GOP convention

Utah Republican delegates will hear from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during the party's organizing convention next month.
1 day ago

Sponsored Articles

Stack of old laptops with dark background...
PC Laptops

Old Laptop Upgrades You Need to Try Before Throwing it Away

Get the most out of your investment. Try these old laptop upgrades before throwing it out to keep it running fast and efficient.
Happy diverse college or university students are having fun on their graduation day...
BYU MBA at the Marriott School of Business

How to Choose What MBA Program is Right for You: Take this Quiz Before You Apply!

Wondering what MBA program is right for you? Take this quiz before you apply to see if it will help you meet your goals.
Close up of an offset printing machine during production...
Les Olson IT

Top 7 Reasons to Add a Production Printer to Your Business

Learn about the different digital production printers and how they can help your company save time and money.
vintage photo of lighting showroom featuring chandeliers, lamps, wall lights and mirrors...
Lighting Design

History of Lighting Design | Over 25 Years of Providing Utah With the Latest Trends and Styles

Read about the history of Lighting Design, a family-owned and operated business that paved the way for the lighting industry in Utah.
Fiber Optical cables connected to an optic ports and Network cables connected to ethernet ports...
Brian Huston, CE and Anthony Perkins, BICSI

Why Every Business Needs a Structured Cabling System

A structured cabling system benefits businesses by giving you faster processing speeds and making your network more efficient and reliable.
notebook with password notes highlighted...
PC Laptops

How to Create Strong Passwords You Can Actually Remember

Learn how you can create strong passwords that are actually easy to remember! In a short time you can create new ones in seconds.
‘Systemic failures’ in Uvalde school massacre, new report finds