A Texas appeals court heard arguments on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 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 the Texas Department of Public Safety (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.
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Laura Prather, representing the news organizations, said the state’s attempt to block the release was 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,” Prather said.
On May 24, 2022, 21 people, including 19 students and 2 teachers, were fatally shot at Robb Elementary School. The response by law enforcement to the shooting came under fire almost immediately after the attack.
Critics said it should’ve taken the more than 400 officers on scene less time to confront the 18-year-old shooter. It took officers more than an hour to end the shooting.
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.
