With news that the Uvalde Police Department and the Uvalde Independent School District police force are refusing to cooperate with the Texas Department of Public Safety’s investigation of last Tuesday’s mass shooting at Robb Elementary school that left 21 dead, new questions have arisen, including a suggestion that members of the police force may have accidentally killed one of the 19 children who were slain.
ABC News reports:
According to sources, the decision to stop cooperating occurred soon after the director of DPS, Col. Steven McCraw, held a news conference Friday during which he said the delayed police entry into the classroom was “the wrong decision” and contrary to protocol.
Reached by ABC News, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety said, “The Uvalde Police Department and Uvalde CISD Police have been cooperating with investigators. The chief of the Uvalde CISD Police provided an initial interview but has not responded to a request for a follow-up interview with the Texas Rangers that was made two days ago.”
CNN justice correspondent Shimon Prokupecz spoke with Uvalde schools police chief Peter Arredondo, who said he will not comment any further about the investigation as long as families are grieving.
And now we have video in which a child can be heard exclaiming “I got shot!” followed by a police officer remarking:
“They shot a kid.”
There are many unanswered questions eight days after the Uvalde tragedy unfolded, and the only way any answers will ever come to light is if every officer on scene the day of the shooting cooperates fully.
Texas authorities also need to release the bodycam footage from every cop who responded to the shooting, along with any audio or cell phone information that could help the public better understand what may have gone wrong at Robb Elementary.
The families of the children and two teachers who were mercilessly gunned down in Uvalde deserve to know everything that transpired that day. If that means includes indicting any officers or other officials who failed to act or shot errantly, then so be it.
