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Monday 18 July 2022
Uvalde report: 400 officers but ‘egregiously poor’ decisions

By JAKE BLEIBERG and PAUL head of the Texas Depart-
J. WEBER ment of Public Safety, the
Associated Press state police force, previ-
UVALDE, Texas (AP) — ously faulted for not going
Nearly 400 law enforce- into the room sooner.
ment officials rushed to a “In this crisis, no responder
mass shooting at a Uvalde seized the initiative to es-
elementary school, but tablish an incident com-
“egregiously poor decision- mand post,” the report
making” resulted in more read. A spokesman for the
than an hour of chaos be- Texas Department of Public
fore the gunman who took Safety did not immediately
21 lives was finally confront- return a request for com-
ed and killed, according to ment Sunday.
a damning investigative re- The report followed weeks
port released Sunday. of closed-door interviews
The nearly 80-page report with more than 40 people,
was the first to criticize both including witnesses and law
state and federal law en- enforcement who were on
forcement, and not just lo- the scene of the shooting.
cal authorities in the South In this photo from surveillance video provided by the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School Flowers that had been
Texas town for the bewil- District via the Austin American-Statesman, authorities respond to the shooting at Robb Elementary piled high in the city’s cen-
dering inaction by heavily School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. Associated Press tral square had been re-
armed officers as a gun- moved as of Sunday, leav-
man fired inside a fourth- shield and working mas- yet of the hesitant and of those who responded ing a few stuffed animals
grade classroom at Robb ter key for the classroom, haphazard response to the were federal and state law scattered around the foun-
Elementary School. which may have not even May 24 massacre — was enforcement. That includ- tains alongside photos of
“At Robb Elementary, law been needed, before en- written by an investigative ed nearly 150 U.S. Border some of the children who
enforcement responders tering the classroom. committee from the Texas Patrol agents and 91 state were killed.
failed to adhere to their — No one assumed com- House of Representatives police officials. No single officer has re-
active shooter training, mand despite scores of of- and released to family “Other than the attacker, ceived as much scrutiny
and they failed to prioritize ficers, including Pete Arre- members Sunday. the Committee did not find since the shooting as Pete
saving innocent lives over dondo, the Uvalde school Family members of the any ‘villains’ in the course Arredondo, the Uvalde
their own safety,” the re- district police chief, being victims in Uvalde received of its investigation,” the re- school district police chief
port said. The gunman fired on the scene. copies of the report Sun- port said. “There is no one who resigned from his
approximately 142 rounds — A Uvalde Police Depart- day before it was released to whom we can attribute newly appointed seat on
inside the building — and ment officer said he heard to the public. malice or ill motives. In- the City Council after the
it is “almost certain” that at about 911 calls that had “It’s a joke. They’re a joke. stead, we found systemic shooting. Arredondo told
least 100 shots came be- come inside form the class- They’ve got no business failures and egregiously the committee he treated
fore any officer entered, room, and that his under- wearing a badge. None of poor decision making.” the shooter as “barricad-
according to the report, standing was the officers them do,” Vincent Salazar, The report noted that many ed subject,” according to
which laid out in damning on one side of the building grandfather of 11-year-old of the hundreds of law en- the report, and defended
detail numerous failures. knew there were victims Layla Salazer, said Sunday. forcement responders never treating the scene
Among them: trapped inside. Still, no one According to the report, who rushed to the school as an active-shooter situ-
— The commander of a tried to breach the class- 376 law enforcement offi- were better trained and ation because he did not
Border Patrol tactical team room. The report — the cers massed at the school. equipped than the school have visual contact with
waited for a bullet-proof most complete account The overwhelming majority district police — which the the gunman.q

Police: Charlotte comedy club empties

before man fires gun

9 p.m. at The Comedy Zone was taken into custody.” threats and possession of a
in Charlotte, media outlets McCombs, 36, was sent to firearm by a felon.
reported. No one was in- the Mecklenburg County It’s unclear if he has hired
jured. Jail early Sunday morning, an attorney who can speak
Club employees told according to an inmate on his behalf. Investigators
WSOC-TV that the man, database. have not released a pos-
later identified by police as Robinson has starred in sible motive.
Omar McCombs, waved movies such as “Hot Tub In a Sunday Instagram
a gun around and told ev- Time Machine” as well post, Robinson thanked the
eryone to leave before the as the American version club’s security and staff for
venue emptied out. About of “The Office” television quickly getting everyone to
In this April 20, 2020, photo, comedian Craig Robinson 50 customers had been in- show. He said he was safe safety as well as the Char-
performs at the Laugh Factory comedy club in Los Angeles. side. in a video posted Satur- lotte-Mecklenburg police
Associated Press “The suspect then dis- day night to his Instagram for their “swift action” in ar-
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — ated and before actor and charged his weapon,” account. Charges listed resting the alleged shooter.
A man fired a gun inside comedian Craig Robinson Charlotte-Mecklenburg for McCombs include as- “Hopefully he gets the help
a comedy club in North was set to perform, police police said in a statement sault by pointing a gun, he needs,” Robinson wrote.
Carolina on Saturday night said. on Twitter. “There were no discharging a firearm in “Thanks be to God no one
shortly after it was evacu- The shot was fired at about injuries and the suspect the city, communicating was hurt.”q