Uvalde school police chief blamed for slow response to shooting is not responding to investigators, state police say

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The Uvalde college district’s police chief — who made the choice to attend for extra assets reasonably than confront the gunman sooner — hasn’t responded to state investigators’ requests for a follow-up interview in regards to the police response to the Robb Elementary College capturing, a legislation enforcement official stated.

Texas Rangers investigating the response to the capturing, which ended after 19 college students and two academics had been shot to demise and 17 have been wounded final week, wish to proceed speaking to Pete Arredondo, chief of police at Uvalde Consolidated Unbiased College District, however he hasn’t answered a request made a few days in the past, based on two spokespeople for the Texas Division of Public Security.

The varsity district’s police division and the Uvalde Police Division have in any other case been cooperating with the Rangers’ investigation, DPS spokesperson Travis Considine stated. Arredondo didn’t instantly return a name requesting remark.

Additionally on Tuesday, DPS officers walked again an announcement that Steven McCraw, director of the Texas Division of Public Security, made Friday {that a} instructor had propped open the door by means of which the gunman entered the college. DPS now says a instructor shut that door however its automated lock malfunctioned. Considine stated DPS is investigating why the lock didn’t work.

Cops who responded to the capturing at Robb Elementary have confronted heated criticism from mother and father who stated officers didn’t act rapidly sufficient to cease the 18-year-old gunman. That criticism reached a brand new degree on Friday when McCraw informed reporters that officers didn’t attempt to cease the shooter sooner as a result of the district’s police chief of police needed to attend for backup and gear earlier than confronting the gunman — regardless that 911 calls confirmed that college students have been nonetheless trapped inside with the shooter.

McCraw stated Arredondo, who he didn’t identify, handled the gunman as a “barricaded suspect” reasonably than an energetic shooter and believed kids have been now not in danger — which McCraw known as a mistake.

A tactical unit made up of U.S. Border Patrol brokers ultimately breached the classroom and killed the gunman — greater than an hour after the gunman first arrived on campus.

It is a growing story. Verify again for updates.