DOJ Report Finds 'Cascading Failures' in Police Response to Uvalde Shooting

A new report from the Department of Justice blamed “cascading failures of leadership, decision-making, tactics, policy and training” for the delayed police response to the Uvalde school shooting in 2022.

For Context: In May 2022, Salvador Ramos, 19, shot and killed 21 people, including 19 children, at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. From the time the shooter entered the school to the time he was killed by police, 77 minutes passed. The delayed response sparked national backlash against the Uvalde police.

Details: The nearly 600-page report determined the “most significant failure” of the police response was the decision to reclassify the situation from an active shooter to a barricaded standoff. The report states, “responding officers should have immediately recognized the incident as an active shooter situation, using the resources and equipment that were sufficient to push forward immediately and continuously toward the threat until entry was made into classrooms 111/112 and the threat was eliminated.”

Key Quotes: Attorney General Merrick Garland stated, “The victims and survivors of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School deserved better.” Garland added, “The law enforcement response at Robb Elementary on May 24, 2022 - and the response by officials in the hours and days after - was a failure.”

How the Media Covered It: Outlets across the spectrum are covering the Justice Department report. Fox News (Right bias) included the name of the shooter, while the New York Times (Lean Left bias) and Reuters (Center bias) did not.