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Uvalde, Texas: Massacre at elementary school

2022-06-23T00:47:58.013Z


After the deadly shots at a Texas elementary school, there was heavy criticism of the emergency services. The responsible police chief is no longer on duty for the time being – due to “remaining ambiguities”.


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Investigators at the scene: At Robb Elementary School, an 18-year-old killed 19 children and two teachers

Photo: Jae C Hong/AP

After serious allegations against the emergency services in the massacre at Robb Elementary School in the US state of Texas, the responsible police chief has been suspended until further notice.

There are several ongoing investigations into the incident, but it is unclear when the results will be available, Uvalde School District Superintendent Hal Harrell said on Wednesday (local time).

In view of the "remaining ambiguities" he decided to put police chief Pete A. on leave with immediate effect.

In his statement, Harrell did not address As's actions during the crime.

He said he did not know when details of the law enforcement investigation would be released.

An 18-year-old gunman shot dead 19 children and two teachers at a primary school in the small town of Uvalde at the end of May.

The attacker shot the children and teachers in two connected classrooms with an assault rifle.

Only about 75 minutes after the shooter opened fire, emergency services penetrated into the room and killed the perpetrator.

The police were heavily criticized for their hesitant intervention.

At a hearing in the Texas Senate, Texas Public Safety Director Steven McCraw said on Tuesday that just three minutes after the shooter entered a classroom and opened fire, nine police officers were outside the room, two of them with guns.

More were gradually added.

The operations manager decided to wait for reinforcements, more guns and protective equipment.

None of this was necessary, McCraw argued.

In such a situation, if in doubt, a police officer with a gun is enough to stop the gunman - even if that poses a risk for the officer.

The police officers outside the room had guns, protective gear and the training for such situations, but the children had none, McCraw said.

Nevertheless, the students and teachers had to wait "an hour, 14 minutes and 8 seconds" for emergency services to come into the room.

The head of operations made “terrible decisions”.

He decided to put police officers' lives ahead of children's lives.

McCraw spoke of "miserable failure".

Police Chief Pete A. previously said in another hearing that he never considered himself the scene of the shooting and that he did not order police to refrain from entering the building.

bbr/dpa/AP

Source: spiegel

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