DOJ: Most significant ‘failure’ in Uvalde shooting was no police urgency

[KARAH RUCKER]

UVALDE’S POLICE RESPONSE TO THE TRAGIC SCHOOL SHOOTING  IS ONCE AGAIN UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.

CRITICIZED THIS TIME BY THE U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.

A DAMNING REPORT RELEASED TODAY STATES THAT POLICE SHOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY CONFRONTED THE GUNMAN, BUT THEY FAILED TO DO SO.

ON MAY 24, 2022, 19 CHILDREN AND TWO TEACHERS WERE GUNNED DOWN AT UVALDE ELEMENTARY.

THE NATION WATCHED SCHOOL SURVEILLANCE AND POLICE BODYCAM FOOTAGE.

OVER THE COURSE OF ONE DREADFUL HOUR, A GUNMAN ENTERS.

3 MINUTES LATER – OFFICERS ARE THERE. POLICE WITH-WEAPONS-DRAWN CROWD THE HALLWAYS. NEARLY 400 LAW ENFORCEMENT ON SCENE.

ONE HOUR. 17 MINUTES LATER, POLICE FINALLY STORMED THE CLASSROOM WHERE THE SHOOTER KILLED OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

ONE OF THE WORST SCHOOL MASSACRES IN HISTORY WAS FINALLY OVER.

THE DOJ’S REPORT SAYS

“The most significant failure was that responding officers should have immediately recognized the incident as an active shooter situation, using the resources and equipment that were sufficient to push forward immediately and continuously toward the threat until entry was made into classrooms 111/112 and the threat was eliminated.”

“WAITING COSTS LIVES.”

THAT’S THE LESSON LAW ENFORCEMENT WALKED AWAY WITH AFTER THE COLUMBINE SHOOTING IN 1999.

EVER SINCE, THE STANDARD PROTOCOL IN ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING EMPHASIZES “CONFRONT THE GUNMAN.”

THE FAILURE TO DO THAT IN UVALDE RESULTED IN A HANDFUL OF OFFICERS BEING FIRED — INCLUDING THE SCHOOL’S POLICE CHIEF — AND NATIONWIDE CONDEMNATION.

SINCE THE SHOOTING, THERE HAVE BEEN LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS AND REVIEWS AT THE STATE LEVEL OVER HOW POLICE RESPONDED THAT DAY.

NOW, THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE REPORT FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL RELEASED TODAY SHARES A SIMILAR CONCLUSION AS OTHER REVIEWS:

THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER COMMUNICATION, BETTER TRAINING, A SWIFTER RESPONSE. OVERALL – “A FAILURE” BY UVALDE POLICE.