Uvalde police forces no longer cooperating with school shooting probe, source tells ABC News
Uvalde Police Department and Uvalde ISD police’s decision to stop cooperating was made shortly after the Texas Department of Public Service Director Col. Steven McCraw called the delayed police entry into the classroom where 19 children and two teachers were shot to death as “the wrong decision.”
During a news conference last Friday, McCraw also said the officers’ decision on May 24 was contrary to both protocol and initial accounts from local authorities.
Texas DPS, which initially declined to comment on the reporting, wrote in a statement that the police departments have been cooperating, but Uvalde ISD police chief, Pete Arrendondo, has not responded to a follow-up interview. The statement reads:
“The Uvalde Police Department and Uvalde CISD Police have been cooperating with investigators. The chief of the Uvalde CISD Police provided an initial interview but has not responded to a request for a follow-up interview with the Texas Rangers that was made two days ago.”
Uvalde police chief and a Uvalde ISD spokeswoman did not immediately respond to ABC News’ requests for comment.
The revelation comes exactly a week after what is now one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history.
MORE: Justice Department to review law enforcement’s response to Uvalde school shooting
The first victims’ funerals took place on Tuesday as many questions continue to go unanswered, including what led Chief Arrendondo, who led the law enforcement response that day, to pull back officers from entering a classroom where an 18-year-old gunman unleashed his rampage.
SEE ALSO: Uvalde grieves, says goodbyes at visitations, funerals amid investigation
According to McCraw, 77 minutes passed from the gunman’s entrance to the school, to federal tactical officers to stop the shooter.
In addition, McCraw stated that several children in the classroom called 911, pleading for police to help.
In video obtained by ABC News, a 911 dispatcher appears to relay a boy’s information to officers that day.
“Child is advising he is in the room, full of victims,” the dispatcher can be heard saying in the video. “Full of victims at this moment.”
SEE MORE: Video appears to show Texas 911 dispatchers relaying info from kids in Robb Elementary classroom
This is a developing story. All updates can be found in this article.
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