Father responds in Uvalde Texas

I’m a gun owner and I do not blame the weapons used in this tragedy. I’m angry how easy it is to get one and how young you can be to purchase one.

Jacinto Cazares, father of 10-year-old Jackie Cazares who was killed in the Uvalde, Texas school shooting.

• Criticism has also surfaced from the Uvalde, Texas community that law enforcement did not respond fast enough to the scene, as initial estimates say it took approximately 40 minutes before the shooter — who had barricaded himself in a two-room, 4th grade classroom — was killed by Border Patrol.
• Cazares told ABC News: “There was at least 40 lawmen armed to the teeth but didn’t do a darn thing [until] it was far too late. The situation could’ve been over quick if they had better tactical training, and we as a community witnessed it firsthand.”
• The Wall Street Journal reports that officials stated the tactical team of Border Patrol agents, who were eventually able to breach the barricaded room, initially “couldn’t get into the classroom because of a steel door and cinder block construction.” (Cinder blocks are hollow, concrete blocks used in the construction of some buildings.) After U.S. Border Patrol agents reportedly obtained a key from a school staff member, they were able to breach the classroom and kill the gunman.

Why This Matters: On Wednesday, the Texas Department of Public Safety did confirm it took 40 minutes before the gunman was killed by law enforcement within the school. However, on Thursday, the Texas DPS spokesperson Lt. Chris Olivarez told CNN: “Right now, we do not have an accurate or concrete timeline to provide to say ‘the gunman was in the school for this period,’ so we want to obtain that factual information once we’re able to obtain that.”

Thursday would have been the last day of school at Robb Elementary school in Uvalde, Texas (about a 90-minute drive west of San Antonio); however, school was cancelled following the shooting, which the Associated Press reports as “the nation’s deadliest school shooting since Newton, Connecticut, a decade ago.” The motive for the shooting is TBD and is currently under investigation led by the Texas Rangers — along with several federal, state and local authorities.

Police Waited To Enter Texas school as shooter went on killing spree: witness (New York Post)

Families Grieve After Texas School shooting, as Thousands in Uvalde Hold Vigil (The Wall Street Journal)

Police face questions over response to Texas school shooting (Associated Press)