Uvalde Police Were in School Hallway with Rifles and Ballistic Shield Within Ten Minutes: Report

A report by the Austin American-Statesman shows Uvalde police were in the hallway of Robb Elementary School with rifles and at least one ballistic shield within ten minutes of the start of the mass shooting by Salvador Ramos that killed 19 children and two teachers on May 24 in the small Texas town. Ramos was reportedly killed in a gun battle with police after an hour-plus wait by police to storm the classroom he was holed up in.

Close up of security video screen image.

Security video screen image from 11:52 a.m. CDT shows at least five officers, two with rifles including one with a shield.

The story was broken Monday afternoon by reporter Tony Plohetski, “BREAKING: Multiple officers were inside Robb Elementary School with rifles and at least one ballistic shield at 11:52 a.m. the day of the shooting, new video and other evidence shows. They didn’t enter the classroom for another 58 minutes. More soon via @statesman and @KVUE. 1/2…Investigators believe this is significant because it indicates they had more than enough firepower and protection to enter the classroom before they did. Officers were growing impatient far sooner: “If there’s kids in there we need to go in there,” one said on body camera video.”

Investigators believe this is significant because it indicates they had more than enough firepower and protection to enter the classroom before they did. Officers were growing impatient far sooner: “If there’s kids in there we need to go in there,” one said on body camera video.

— Tony Plohetski (@tplohetski) June 20, 2022

Excerpt from the American-Statesman report:

Multiple police officers stood in a hallway at Robb Elementary School armed with rifles and at least one ballistic shield within nine minutes of a gunman arriving at the campus, according to documents reviewed by the American-Statesman, a devastating new revelation deepening questions about why police didn’t act faster to stop the shooter who killed 19 children and two teachers.

Even as officers with high-powered weapons and ballistic shields massed inside the blue and green hallway, the gunman could be heard firing rounds — including at 12:21 p.m. — 29 minutes before officers entered the classroom and killed him.

Investigators say the latest information indicates officers had more than enough firepower and protection to take down the gunman long before they finally did.

Authorities have produced the most extensive timeline yet since the 18-year-old armed with an AR-15 walked into the Uvalde school on May 24, shattering a South Texas town and reigniting the gun debate nationwide.

Much of the new information is expected to be presented at a Texas Senate hearing Tuesday, the first of two consecutive days of hearings at the Capitol that will give members of the public their first opportunity to address lawmakers on gun violence and related issues.

End excerpt. Please read the complete Austin American-Statesman article at this link.

The Texas Tribune is planning on publishing a report Monday Monday based on documents to be presented at Tuesday’s hearing in Austin.

Tribune editor in chief Sewell Chan posted some of the news from their report:

Tonight @TexasTribune is publishing a minute-by-minute account by @tlangford of the law enforcement response to the May 24 Uvalde school shooting, based on a review of timelines, documents, and video footage, some of which hasn’t been publicly released.

— Sewell Chan (@sewellchan) June 20, 2022

New: No security footage from inside Robb shows officers trying to open the doors classrooms 111 and 112, where the shooting occurred. The Uvalde schools police chief had told us he tried to open one door while other officers tried to open the other.https://t.co/UwELfjwGk1

— Sewell Chan (@sewellchan) June 20, 2022

Also new: Officers had four ballistic shields inside the school during the standoff with the gunman. The first arrived 58 minutes before officers stormed the classrooms. The last arrived 30 minutes before.

— Sewell Chan (@sewellchan) June 20, 2022

Desperate children called 911 from the adjoined classrooms where the gunman was holed up, begging for help as he sporadically continued to shoot and kill survivors of his initial massacre.

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