School massacre: US justice wants to investigate police operation

Created: 05/29/2022, 20:10

Flowers and candles commemorate the victims of a school massacre at a primary school in Uvalde.

© Jae C. Hong/AP/dpa

A rampage that killed 21 people in the United States caused horror - and anger.

Also in view of the serious omissions of the police during the massacre.

Now the US Department of Justice is getting involved.

The US Department of Justice wants to launch an investigation into the massacre of an elementary school in Texas.

The authority announced on Sunday in Washington that the actions of the security forces should be scrutinized.

The mayor of the affected small town of Uvalde, Don McLaughlin, asked for it.

The aim of the investigation is to create an independent report on the actions of the law enforcement authorities on that day and to draw lessons for other attacks.

The report should also be published at the end.

The review will be "fair, transparent and independent".

An 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in the small Texas town of Uvalde on Tuesday.

The attacker locked himself in with students and teachers in two connected classrooms and shot around there.

New investigative findings on the processes that day put the police under heavy pressure: According to official information, 19 police officers were already present in the hallway in front of the classroom at an early stage, in which the gunman had holed up with teachers and students.

However, the officers made no attempts to enter the room for a long time.

Relatives accused the police of saving lives.

dpa