[Lauren]

NEWS ORGANIZATIONS ARE SUING FOR RECORDS AND BODY CAM FOOTAGE FROM TEXAS’ DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY (DPS) – RELATED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT’S RESPONSE TO THE UVALDE SCHOOL SHOOTING IN 2022.\

A TEXAS APPEALS COURT HEARD ARGUMENTS WEDNESDAY – IN THE LATEST DISPUTE OVER WHAT MATERIALS SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC FROM ONE OF THE NATION’S DEADLIEST MASS SCHOOL SHOOTINGS.

IN JUNE LAST YEAR, A STATE JUDGE ORDERED DPS TO RELEASE RECORDS RELATED TO THE SHOOTING AT ROBB ELEMENTARY. THE STATE APPEALED, ARGUING THE RELEASE COULD HINDER INVESTIGATIONS.

DPS RECORDS INCLUDE MORE THAN 6 MILLION PAGES OF DOCUMENTS AND HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF BODY CAM FOOTAGE, ONE JUDGE ON THE APPEALS COURT PANEL NOTED.

AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS, CALLED THE STATE’S ATTEMPT TO BLOCK THE RELEASE OF RECORDS “AN ATTEMPT TO CLOAK THE ENTIRE FILE IN SECRECY FOREVER. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT LAW ENFORCEMENT FAILURE IN TEXAS HISTORY … THE PUBLIC INTEREST COULD NOT BE HIGHER.”

ON MAY 24, 2022 – 21 PEOPLE, INCLUDING 19 STUDENTS AND 2 TEACHERS WERE FATALLY SHOT AT ROBB ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. LAW ENFORCEMENT CAME UNDER SCRUTINY BECAUSE IT TOOK NEARLY 400 POLICE OFFICERS MORE THAN AN HOUR TO ENGAGE AND CONFRONT THE 18-YEAR-OLD SHOOTER INSIDE THE SCHOOL.

TWO UVALDE SCHOOL POLICE OFFICERS, INCLUDING THE CHIEF, ARE CHARGED WITH CHILD ENDANGERMENT AND ABANDONMENT – AMONG OTHER CHARGES – FOR NOT TAKING ACTION THAT DAY.

BOTH OFFICERS HAVE PLEADED “NOT GUILTY”.

IT’S UNKNOWN WHEN THE APPEALS COURT WILL RULE ON THE CASE.