Texas Official Blasts Law Enforcement For ‘Abject Failure’ In Uvalde Mass Shooting

Texas State Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw called the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, an “abject failure.”

McCraw spoke at a Texas State Senate hearing over the investigation following the tragedy at Robb Elementary. The director called the effort frustrating and communication among agencies was dismal.

“We do know this, there’s compelling evidence that the law enforcement response to the attack at Robb Elementary was an abject failure and antithetical to everything we’ve learned over the last two decades since the Columbine massacre,” McCraw stated during the hearing.

The director blasted the effort of the police commander as well, stating that he failed to fulfill his duties as a defender.

“The only thing stopping a hallway of dedicated officers from [entering rooms] 111 and 112 was the on-scene commander who decided to place the lives of officers before the lives of children,” McCraw said sternly.

Law enforcement officials claimed the doors were locked and they needed tactical equipment before breaching the classroom.

McCraw’s findings contradicted the police testimony, however. He stated that officers with rifles were on the scene within minutes and the classroom door was not locked at all.

Findings from the Texas Tribune also found that ballistic shields and breaching equipment were quickly on the scene.

Prior to the shooting, a report from a teacher that taught in rooms 111 and 112 also told the school the locks on the doors would not work.

“There’s no way to lock the door from the inside and there’s no way for the subject to lock the door from the inside,” McCraw said.

“One hour, 14 minutes and 8 seconds. That’s how long the children waited and the teachers waited in rooms 111 [and 112] to be rescued,” McCraw continued. “And while they waited, the on-scene commander waited for radio and rifles; and he waited for shields and he waited for SWAT.”