US citizens enraged as new footage shows Uvalde police standing idly during Robb Elementary school shooting

The Uvalde mass shooting is the second deadliest school shooting in America. New footage of the incident shows police with rifles and at least one ballistic shield waiting in a school corridor. Reportedly, the officers waited for more than an hour in a nearby hallway before taking down the gunman.

After the footage went viral, citizens criticized the delay in response by the cops that resulted in the loss of several lives.

During a public hearing on Tuesday, a Texas resident rebuked state authorities for what he claimed was a lack of a response in the Uvalde shooting incident.

Meanwhile, at a state Senate hearing, Steven McCraw, director of the Department of Public Safety, called the police response an "abject failure." McCraw accused the on-scene commander of valuing the officers' lives over the children's.

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Uvalde shooting: Citizens demand school district police chief Pete Arredondo's resignation

Parents of victims and community members called for the resignation of school district Police Chief Pete Arredondo during a school board meeting.

One such person who spoke on this matter was Brett Cross, the uncle of the late Uziyah Garcia. He said:

"Having Pete still employed, knowing that he is incapable of decision-making that saves lives is terrifying. Innocence doesn't hide, innocence doesn't change its story, but innocence did die on May 24."

Several people in the auditorium also held "Fire Pete Arredondo" signs. Residents also questioned whether there was an institutional bias in the Texas school system against implementing reasonable protective measures.

The same resident also pointed out that although the state was not quick enough to react to gun violence in schools, it immediately imposed a lockdown during the pandemic. It was also pointed out that the delay in stopping the gunman resulted in mass casualties at the Uvalde school.

Steven McCraw, speaking at a public hearing, said:

"Three minutes after the subject entered the west building, there was a sufficient number of armed officers wearing body armour to isolate, distract and neutralise the subject."

McCraw added that on-scene commander Pete Arredondo "waited for radio and rifles, and he waited for shields, and he waited for SWAT." However, in June, Arredondo said he had not considered himself the incident commander in the Uvalde school shooting and did not order the police to hold back.

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Passive response by the cops results in loss of innocent lives

Although the teenage gunman Ramos was eventually killed, the police raid happened after a long time. In the video footage, officers can be seen becoming impatient after hearing gunshots from inside the Uvalde school, the Austin American-Statesman reports.

The officers are said to have received an order to engage after almost an hour. Unfortunately, by then, 19 students and two teachers had been killed in the Uvalde shooting.

As per reports, children were even calling 911 to report several gunshot victims. Some parents tried to enter the school, fearing the safety of their kids. However, they were prevented by the police.

Sources investigating the school shooting also stated that the police never even tried to open the classroom doors where Ramos was hiding. Apparently, the authorities previously claimed they were waiting for the master key to arrive.

Meanwhile, there's no clarity on whether doors were locked and why tools that were available to break open the door were not used.