Uvalde Mayor Dan McLaughlin issued an email statement to Fox News, refuting a claim by Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick that local law enforcement misled Patrick and other state officials in the immediate aftermath of the Robb Elementary School shooting. On Monday, McLaughlin said Patrick’s statements are “not true.”
McLaughlin also appears to be supportive of Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo, telling Fox that Arredondo can still be sworn in as a Uvalde City Councilman. Earlier this month, Arredondo was elected to the council and was slated to be sworn in on Tuesday. The swearing in was postponed due to funerals.
After initially praising the law enforcement response to the shooting, Texas Governor Greg Abbot and other state officials including Patrick have changed tune. On Saturday, Lt. Governor Patrick, in an appearance of Fox & Friends Weekend said state officials “were not told the truth” over the amount of time it took to subdue the shooter.
Information released by the Texas Department of Public Safety shows local police entered the school within two minutes of the shooter. Two of the officers sustained non-life-threatening injuries after being grazed by bullets fired through a locked classroom door. DPS spokesperson Chris Olivarez told Breitbart Texas the two officers remained in the building throughout the incident.
According to authorities, many of the security features designed to protect students became an impediment to law enforcement. They lacked tools needed to breach the steel security door or the cinder-block walls.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, authorities at the scene were provided keys to the door after locating a custodian. DPS has not provided any information about the point in which keys were located.
A total of 19 students and two teachers were killed before a hastily formed team comprised of Border Patrol agents and police stormed the classroom.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.
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