It has been two years since the tragedy that struck Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, which claimed the lives of 19 students and two teachers. After a long and persistent demand for greater transparency, families of the victims have finally begun to see more of the records related to the catastrophe. In a disclosure by the City of Uvalde, including body camera footage and internal communications, the public is now being given a glimpse into the chaotic scenes and delayed law enforcement response that occurred during those crucial moments on May 24, 2022.
A significant portion of the records, including a clip from Uvalde Police Sgt. Daniel Coronado’s body camera showing officers breaching the classrooms more than 70 minutes after the shooter entered the school, has been examined by the victims' families. Jesse Rizo, who lost his 9-year-old niece Jackie Cazares in the shooting, told KSAT, "They’re not afraid of the shooter. They’re afraid of the weapon." Similarly, Brett Cross, the guardian of victim Uziyah Garcia, questioned why there was body camera footage from only five Uvalde officers, despite the fact that 25 responded to the school that day.
The release comes as part of a settlement in a lawsuit between the city and several news organizations, with Uvalde city officials affirming their commitment to honoring the court order and striving to put an end to the ongoing legal battle. Despite this step, three other government agencies, including the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, and the Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office, continue to resist releasing any records.
The records divulged new details such as an instance where law enforcement had to rely on a parent with bolt cutters to break the locks to a gated fence, and a report of the shooter's suicidal expression the night before the massacre. This information was corroborated by a report on PBS Frontline, which also highlighted the exchanges between Uvalde officers expressing their frustrations post-shooting. In a stark reflection of the systemic gaps, the U.S. Justice Department later published a report criticizing the flawed response, or rather, the inaction, that could have potentially saved some victims.
Jesse Rizo, now an elected member of the Uvalde school board, conveyed to PBS Frontline the toll that the piecemeal nature of public disclosures was taking on residents' trust in their government. Meanwhile, Brett Cross expressed his frustration towards the way information had been released to media outlets without prior notification to the families, demanding full transparency: "They need to show everything, the world, how this actually is." Amid legal disputes, the public continues to press for full disclosure of information.
