CNN
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Two Texas Department of Public Safety officers at the scene Yuvalde Academy massacre They are being suspended on pay while an investigation is conducted into their behavior that day, the department said Tuesday.
DPS Asked for independent review The actions of some officials in the Robb Elementary School shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers, according to a spokesperson.
The law enforcement response to the May 24 massacre came under intense public scrutiny, infuriating Uvalde’s family. Notably, the fact that officers from multiple agencies waited over an hour for him until the team shot and killed his teenage gunman in a classroom.
“In July, DPS announced the formation of an internal committee,” department spokeswoman Erica Miller said in a statement. “Currently, five DPS law enforcement officers have been referred to the Inspector General’s Office where a formal investigation into their conduct that day will take place. , has been suspended on pay pending the outcome of an (office) investigation.”
The agency did not identify the suspended officers.
Public Safety Commissioner Steven McLaw initially pointed to the delay, saying Pete Arredondo, then-Uvalde School District Police Chief, was in charge of the incident. Arredondo has repeatedly said that he was not in command of an officer that day.he was dismissal By district at the end of last month.
McCullough said there was an internal review of the actions taken by officers in his department during the Uvalde shooting, but he had previously not said any officers would be referred for an independent review. did.
“In public testimony before the Senate Committee to Protect Texas, I said law enforcement’s response to the Robb Elementary School shooting was a disastrous failure,” McCraw said on Tuesday in July. In a published letter to “fellow employees,” it said . . “All agencies that responded that day share this failure, including DPS.”
In the same email, McCraw announced what he called “additions” to the DPS fire response policy. “His DPS officers who deal with active gunmen at the school will be empowered to overcome delays to neutralize attackers,” he wrote McCraw. “If subject fires a weapon at school, he remains an active shooter until neutralized and should not be treated as a ‘barricaded subject.'”
according to Report from the Texas House Commission of Inquirythe first responders “lost significant momentum” by treating the situation as a “barricaded target” scenario, requiring a more cautious response compared to aggressive shooters.
As the students returned to the classroom On the first day of the new school year, many parents were left angry at the lack of accountability for what happened on May 24th. law enforcement for their actions That day.
Brett Cross, who was raising his nephew Ujiya Garcia, victim, told CNN the school district has four other children. He is having trouble deciding whether to send them back to school directly.
“We’ve already seen[law enforcement officers]not doing their job. So how can we trust that?” he said last week. “I don’t think my children are safe.”
The father of third-grader Zayon Martinez said he was too traumatized by the shooting when his son was hiding under his desk.
“I went and talked to my son and said, ‘They will hire more police.’ They will have higher fencing. Zayon’s father said, Adam Martinez said.
“He said, ‘It doesn’t matter. They’re not going to protect us.
Source: www.cnn.com
