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As criticism of the police response to last week’s Texas school shooting deepens, Ovaldi Mayor Don McLaughlin now says local law enforcement has not misled anyone and that Texas Governor Dan Patrick’s claims that he lied to her are “incorrect.”
immediately after 19 children and two adults were killedMany Texas officials praised law enforcement’s response to the tragedy.
“They have shown incredible bravery by running toward the shooting with the sole purpose of trying to save lives,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott said at a news conference in Yuvaldi alongside Lt. Col. Patrick on Wednesday, about 24 hours after the shooting.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, center, speaks during a news conference about the elementary school shooting with Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin, right and Texas District Attorney for the 38th Judicial District, Christina Mitchell Busby, Friday, May 27, 2022, in Ovaldi, Texas.
(AP Photo/Dario Lopez Mills)
That praise was quickly recounted later in the week as more details emerged about the police response, including that 19 officers were inside the elementary school for about an hour before a Border Patrol team breached the classroom and killed the suspect.
Texas School Shooting: Live Updates
Lt. Gov. Patrick told Fox News on Saturday Law enforcement’s choice not to immediately confront the shooter was “a bad decision, and that decision cost lives.”
“No one mentioned the fact that the school district police chief was still being held for 45 minutes to an hour while there was still shooting,” Patrick said.
“I take this personally, and I know the governor takes it personally. And for me, there are 140 or 150 people who have been killed in Texas in the last six or seven years out of mass outrage when we don’t tell the truth.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks during a press conference in Ovaldi, Texas Wednesday, May 25, 2022. The 18-year-old gunman who massacred 19 children and teachers at an elementary school in Texas barricaded himself inside a classroom and “started shooting anyone in his path” On Wednesday, officials detailed the latest mass killing that has rocked the United States (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills)
Uvald School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo was the incident leader at the scene who made the “wrong decision” not to immediately confront the suspect because he “believed he had transitioned from an active shooter to a fortified subject,” Texas Department of Public Safety Director Stephen McCro said.
President Biden is considering raising and rebuilding Robb Elementary School
Uvald Mayor Dan McLaughlin said on Monday that Local law enforcement He did not mislead Patrick or any other officials.
“Local law enforcement has not made any public comments on the details of the investigation into the accident or.” [misled] McLaughlin said in a statement emailed to Fox News Digital on Monday.
“Governor Dan Patrick’s statements that he ‘was not told the truth’ are not true. All statements and comments made to date about the ongoing investigation are being dealt with by the DPS/Texas Rangers.”
Children run to safety after escaping from a window during a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in which a gunman killed nineteen children and two adults in Ovaldi, Texas, US on May 24, 2022.
(Pet Luna/Leader Ovaldi/Handout via Reuters)
McLaughlin appeared to have sided with the school’s police chief, saying that Arredondo, who was elected to city council earlier this month, could still be sworn in when the ceremony took place.
‘The light will never go out’: The UVALDE community depends on faith to pull them through tragedy
Patrick said Monday that he is focused on supporting the mayor and Ovaldi Society After the tragedy.
“My goal at this time is to support Mayor McLaughlin and the citizens of Uvald,” Patrick told Fox News Digital Monday night. “I am outraged by the information that was initially given to Texas DBS.” “I think the mayor has done an excellent job at a very difficult time and I’m still focused on families.”
A memorial is seen surrounding the Robb Elementary School sign after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 26, 2022 in Ovaldi, Texas.
(Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
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The Ministry of Justice announced Sunday that it is conducting an operation An independent investigation into the police response At the request of the mayor.
“The goal of the review is to provide an independent report on law enforcement actions and reactions that day, and to identify lessons learned and best practices to help first responders prepare for and respond to active shooting events,” the Department of Justice said in a statement.
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