City investigation: Uvalde officers made mistakes but did not violate policy

A Uvalde city investigator said Thursday that despite the many documented failures of more than two dozen city police officers who were among those who responded to the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting, no punishment was warranted because the officers acted in good faith and has not violated department policy.

At a special meeting called to announce the results of a two-year investigation, the investigator, Jesse Prado, a retired Austin detective, also recommended that then-acting police chief Lt. Mariano Pargas Jr. be acquitted of any misconduct. . Mr. Pargas, who led the force that day while the chief was on vacation, had resigned amid a firestorm of criticism from city residents.

“There were many failures,” Mr. Prado said, but he added that “there was no evidence of serious acts of misconduct that were in direct violation of Uvalde Police Department policies.”

At the end of his 45-minute presentation, Mr. Prado walked out, angering relatives of the victims who had shown up to express their outrage. The families have continued to demand transparency and accountability for a lengthy delay in confronting the shooter.

“It was for their safety; it was not for the safety of children,” Kim Mata-Rubio, whose daughter Lexi was among the murdered children, shouted from the conference room over the police officers. “Are these the people you want to respond to your loved ones? Guaranteed, it isn’t.”

She added: “Do what’s right. End them.”

The shooting occurred on May 24, 2022, when a teenage gunman climbed over a low fence and entered the school through what turned out to be an unlocked door. Armed with an AR-15-style rifle, he fired a barrage of bullets into two connected classrooms, killing 19 children and two teachers and wounding 17 other people. More than 370 officers from local, state and federal agencies gathered at the scene, but after initially being shot at, officers only later attempted to confront the shooter.

The city’s findings, included in a report released Thursday, are the third major investigation into the delayed police response. Two previous investigations by a state commission and the Justice Department agreed that a perfect storm of failed leadership, poor decision-making and a lack of police training led to officers having to wait 77 minutes to confront the gunman who committed suicide in two had entrenched classrooms.

Other important studies are still pending. Local district attorney Christina Mitchell has convened a grand jury to hear testimony to determine whether criminal charges should be filed against any of the officers. The Texas Department of Public Safety has not yet released its findings.