UVALDE, Tex.-The Justice Department has released its report on the 2022 mass shooting that killed 21 people, including 19 students at Robb Elementary in Uvalde.
Student’s lives could have been saved if law enforcement had responded differently to the shooter, according to the 600-page report released on Jan. 18.
The DOJ report describes a lack of leadership and a chaotic scene, rather than a coordinated response to the shooting.
According to NBC News reporting, the DOJ document cites a lack of leadership for the failure to recognize an active shooter and for waiting too long to engage the gunman.
The DOJ reportedly identified at least 10 “stimulus events” over the course of more than an hour that could have led law enforcement to “immediately stop the killing.”
The report also detailed how authorities relayed incorrect information to parents concerning whether their children were alive or not, according to NBC News.
Attorney General Merrick Garland was in Uvalde on Wednesday, Jan. 17, meeting with families and answering questions ahead of the release of the report.
The DOJ began a review of the shooting and law enforcement’s response last year at the request of former Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin following outrage from parents and the community over why it took authorities over an hour to confront the shooter.
According to NBC News, the DOJ’s final report was based on the review of more than 13,000 items and analysis of policies, procedures and training materials from responding agencies, as well as hours of videos, photos and interview transcripts.
