The uncle of the Uvalde, Texas school shooter who killed 19 students and two teachers begged police to let him talk his nephew down in a 911 call released by city officials. The shooter, Salvador Ramos, stayed with his uncle the night before the shooting and expressed frustration with his grandmother. Despite the uncle’s pleas, the shooter was fatally shot by officials after the shooting had stopped.
The delayed law enforcement response to the shooting has been widely condemned as a massive failure, with nearly 400 officers waiting over 70 minutes before confronting the gunman. Multiple federal and state investigations exposed training, communication, leadership, and technology issues that contributed to the slow response, leading to calls for accountability from the families of the victims.
Former Uvalde school Police Chief Pete Arredondo and former school officer Adrian Gonzales face criminal charges of child abandonment and endangerment. A Texas state trooper who was initially suspended has been reinstated. Some families are calling for more officers to be charged and have filed lawsuits against law enforcement, social media, online gaming companies, and the gun manufacturer that made the rifle used in the shooting.
The police response involved numerous officers, including U.S. Border Patrol agents and state police officials, but faced criticism for the delayed entry into the classroom where the shooting occurred. Video footage showed officers waiting in the hallway with rifles and bulletproof shields, while students inside the room called for help. A report commissioned by the city defended the actions of local police, praising their “immeasurable strength” and “level-headed thinking” during the incident.
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