Many police officers, armed with rifles and a ballistic shield, were at Rob Elementary School 19 minutes after the shooter, according to new details – but law enforcement still waited about an hour to break into the classroom where the shooter committed his deadly rampage last month.
The new details were included in the reports of the Austin American Statesman and KVUE on Monday and mark the latest revelations about the failed police response to the May 24 mass shooting in Uwalde, Texas, which killed 19 students and two teachers.
Surveillance footage from inside the school shows armed officers standing in the hallway at 11:52 a.m. after gunman Salvador Ramos stormed the school at 11:33 a.m. through an outside door that failed to lock automatically.
The accused shooter Salvador Ramos in front of Rob’s primary school before the deadly massacre. Elsa Ruiz / Facebook officers waited an hour to break into the classroom where the shooter was stationed. AP
The newly reported account contradicts earlier reports that Uwalde School Police Chief Pete Aredondo, who was in charge of police response, was waiting for tactical equipment and a protective shield to move over the shooter.
“There were 19 officers there,” said Col. Stephen McCroy, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, at a media briefing days after the mass shooting. “In fact, there were many officers who had to do the right thing, with one exception – the commander of the incident inside believed that they needed more equipment and more officers to make a tactical breakthrough at this time.”
School security footage, as well as video from a police body camera, showed officers had enough firepower and protection to destroy the shooter much earlier than they did, according to Stateman.
The shooting killed 19 students and two teachers. Getty Images
The first officer with a ballistic shield to enter the school asks why they are not trying to enter the classroom. “If there are children there, we have to go in there,” the policeman told cameramen.
At 12:03, an officer with another shield arrived, followed by a third two minutes later, according to KVUE.
After trying to talk to Ramos, Aredondo told SWAT staff that they had to break through the classroom door as soon as they were ready at 12:46.
Based on footage of the incident and Aredondo’s own testimony, part of the delay is thought to be based on his attempts to find keys to unlock the classroom door – it is not clear if it is locked. Police did not even check or try to open it, although they have access to a Halligan tool that could have broken the lock, according to the San Antonio Express News.
Aredondo tried dozens of keys, but told officers to wait for a tactical team when no one is working, the report said.
The Texas Public Safety Department is investigating the reaction of the employees to the mass shooting.
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