WATCH: Bodycam footage details moments after police arrival during Uvalde school shooting
On July 18, the Uvalde Police Department released body cam footage that revealed officers' responses to the Robb Elementary school massacre.
The massacre occurred on May 24, when 18-year-old Salvador Ramos allegedly entered Robb Elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, armed with a legally purchased assault rifle and magazines. Ramos is accused of having killed 19 children and two adults before he was shot by officers.
Trigger Warning: The following video may contain disturbing content. Viewer discretion is advised.
In the wake of the shooting, media and parents criticized the responses of the town's authorities, who were accused of mishandling the situation. As per CNN, the response time from authorities was so slow that Ramos carried out his massacre for an alleged 1 hour.
The backlash has led to the resignation of former school Police Chief Pete Arredondo and an official report from the Texas House Committee, citing failures on the part of both police and school officials as the reason the massacre reached the scale it did.
The massacre at Robb Elementary school is the largest school shooting in Texas history.
What does surveillance footage tell us about the Uvalde massacre?
As investigations into the shooting began, the media and netizens accused local authorities and officials of withholding surveillance evidence of what has been described in the official House Committee report as their "lackadaisical" approach to the situation.
Trigger Warning: The following video may contain disturbing content. Viewer discretion is advised.
The bodycam footage, however, provides insight into the on-the-ground situation officers faced. CNN reported that in leaked footage that emerged from the school's surveillance cameras, more than a dozen officers can be seen waiting to approach the gunmen. The image stunned netizens, who believed the officers should have had a greater sense of urgency.
The Statesman reported that in one video, which came from the bodycam of SWAT commander Eduardo Canales, officers are shown being injured in a direct engagement with the suspected gunmen.
After a brief exchange of fire, Canales can be heard asking about his injuries.
Trigger Warning: The following video may contain disturbing content. Viewer discretion is advised.
He can be heard saying:
"Am I bleeding? Am I bleeding?"
In another part of the video, Canales can be heard reporting the location of the shooter to other officers.
Canales said:
"We got to get in there. Guy's inside the classroom right now."
The outlet reported that after this exchange, however, there was chaos and confusion among officers, leading to a long waiting period.
Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin, who was criticised for the overall response to the shooting, said that the body cam footage could provide viewers with an insight as to the challenges officers were dealing with.
McLaughlin said:
"With the release of the school district's hallway video, we believe these body camera videos provide further, necessary context."
According to the Gun Violence Archive, the Uvalde massacre was one of over 300 mass shootings in America so far in 2022.
Quick Links
Babylona Bora