- wording
- BBC News World
2 hours
image source, Getty Images
Some contradictions in the account of the events have provoked a growing anger in the United States.
Texas police have corrected key details about the Uvalde school shooting as criticism from some parents about the initial account of the events mounts.
Last Tuesday, the small and normally quiet town in the state of Texas became the scene of the worst massacre occurred in a school in the United States in almost a decade.
At least 21 people were killed (19 of them children and two teachers) when Salvador Ramos, an 18-year-old teenager, stormed Robb Elementary with a handgun and AR-15 rifle, barricaded himself in a classroom and began To shoot.
Since then, details of how the day passed forever changed the life of this border town.
But in their latest statements, the police have retracted previous statements.
1. It entered without much effort
Authorities initially reported that Ramos exchanged fire with a school police officer before entering the building.
Shortly after, during a briefing on Wednesday, Steven C. McCraw, director of the Department of Public Safety (DPS), assured that a police officer from the school “attacked“to the shooter but there was no exchange of fire.
image source, Getty Images
Ramos legally purchased two AR-style rifles on his 18th birthday, a week before the attack.
But on Thursday police revealed that the attacker wandered outside the school for 12 minutes before entering without question.
“It was reported (initially) that a police officer from the school district confronted the suspect as he was entering. This is not correct. He entered without hindrance,” revealed DPS Regional Director Victor Escalon.
2. The “speed” of the response
Initially, several US officials welcomed the authorities’ “swift” response.
DPS Director Steven C. McCraw said Wednesday that an officer acted quickly as Ramos approached the school after crashing his vehicle.
State Governor Greg Abbott, for his part, praised the “quick response” of the “brave local officials” who he said had confronted the gunman before he entered the school.
“They showed incredible courage,” he added.
image source, Getty Images
Ramos freely entered the school through a door that was open at 11:40 a.m.
But this Thursday, Escalon revealed that the police arrived after the armed man entered and that he was killed. 90 minutes after your arrival.
The response is now seen as tardy and a series of videos showing frustrated parents being accosted and handcuffed by police while the attacker was still inside the school has sparked growing anger in America.
This Thursday, Escalón explained that Ramos crashed his vehicle nearby at 11:28 a.m., and the first emergency call came two minutes later when some witnesses reported that they had seen a man with a firearm.
Ramos shot at bystanders, toured the school grounds and entered freely through a door that was open at 11:40am.
Police arrived at the scene four minutes later, according to Escalon.
Police initially said officers were “inside” trying to act and took cover after being attacked.
but step contradicted Thursday this version.
image source, Getty Images
“They (did not) go in immediately because of the shots they were receiving,” he said.
At 12:45, the gunman was shot dead not by local officers. but for one tactical unit run by US border agents.
Escalon downplayed earlier police statements that there were ongoing exchanges of fire during the hour Ramos was at the scene.
“Most of the shots were at the beginning.”
Initially, the local authorities claimed that the gunman was wearing a bulletproof vest, but later they changed the narrative.
Sergeant Erick Estrada, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, said Wednesday that Ramon had “a rifle and a bulletproof vest“.
“After the crash (of his vehicle), an armed man with a bulletproof vest came out. He entered through a door to the south (of the campus), where he met a police officer and they began to shoot at each other,” he explained.
But later, Lt. Christopher Olivarez, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, said the attacker was not wearing a bulletproof vest, but a vest to store extra magazines.
Ramos legally purchased two AR-style rifles the day he turned 18a week before the attack.
The investigation has found no indication that he had a criminal or mental illness history.
Despite the timeline offered by the regional director of the DPS, Victor Escalon, this Thursday, still many doubts remain about the facts.
Escalon declined to answer multiple questions about why the gunman hadn’t been killed earlier. But he said he had “considered all questions” and would provide an update soon.
Now you can receive notifications from BBC World. Download the new version of our app and activate it so you don’t miss out on our best content.