The 2022 Robb Elementary School massacre was caused by “cascading failures of leadership,” according to a study from the Department of Justice.
The report, which detailed failures leading up to and following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and an unprecedented amount of false information afterward, was unveiled on Thursday morning.
Several critical failures and other breakdowns were discovered by one review team that was examining the fatal shooting, according to the report.
The investigation stated that there was a lack of preparation and that neither the students nor the instructors had established active shooter protocols.
After an 18-year-old gunman stormed Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022, killing 19 children and two instructors, authorities were able to break down the door and apprehend the killer. Entering the classroom and taking out the gunman took the responding state and local police officers an incredible seventy-seven minutes.
The response of the police was heavily criticized, and the community’s hatred was further intensified by a series of misleading statements made by authorities following the shooting.
Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety Steven McCraw called the response of first responders an “abject failure” after praising their courage.
Attorney General Merrick Garland called the officer’s reaction to the shooting a failure that should not have happened during a news conference.
Justice Department officials initiated a “Critical Incident Review” after the tragedy, and Garland appointed a panel of nine law enforcement specialists to investigate the case and compile a “full incident reconstruction” based on their findings.
The outcome was a 575-page report detailing the shooting’s aftermath, police response shortcomings, and unpreparedness for an active shooter situation.
According to the article, the cops who withdrew from the classroom made the biggest mistake.
There was already a lot of chaos on the scene due to the original inability to pursue and confront the shooter, and communication breakdowns further made things worse.
Reports indicate that Police Chief Arredondo “lacked a radio,” having disposed of his radios upon arriving, claiming they were unnecessary.
