Families Demand Criminal Charges after Scathing Justice Department Report on Uvalde School Massacre
In a small Texas town, the wounds of a tragic school shooting have been reopened with the release of a scathing report by the Justice Department. The families of the victims are demanding justice and criminal charges after the report laid bare the numerous failures by police during one of the deadliest classroom shootings in U.S. history.
The Uvalde, Texas school massacre occurred on May 24, 2002, at Robb Elementary School. Nineteen students and two teachers lost their lives in the horrific incident. The report, which spans nearly 600 pages, was released approximately 20 months after the shooting, leaving a criminal investigation by Uvalde County prosecutors as one of the last unfinished reviews by authorities into the attack.
The families of the victims are expressing their frustration and disappointment at the lack of criminal charges thus far. Velma Lisa Duran, whose sister Irma Garcia was one of the two teachers killed, stated, “I’m very surprised that no one has ended up in prison… We deserve justice.” The release of the report has sparked renewed demands for accountability and criminal liability.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland called the police response to the shooting “a failure that should not have happened.” However, the report remains silent on whether anyone responsible for the failures will be charged with a crime. President Joe Biden also expressed uncertainty about potential criminal liability.
Since the shooting, several officers have lost their jobs, including two from the Texas Department of Public Safety and the then-school district police chief, Pete Arredondo. However, no one has been charged in the criminal investigation led by the Texas Rangers. The report reveals that the FBI has assisted the Rangers but is not conducting its own investigation.
The pace of the criminal investigation has deeply frustrated both the victims’ families and local officials. Uvalde’s former Republican mayor and Democratic state senator Roland Gutierrez have criticized the lack of progress. Gutierrez stated, “Twenty months later, there’s no end in sight… It’s really a shame where we are now.”
The Justice Department report outlines the “cascading failures” by police, including delays in confronting and neutralizing the shooter and providing false information to grieving families. It highlights issues with training, communication, leadership, and technology, which contributed to the prolonged crisis.
Uvalde, a close-knit city of 15,000 residents located southwest of San Antonio, is deeply affected by the tragedy. Parents of the victims grew up and went to school with some of the officers they now blame, leading to a sense of abandonment by local and state leaders who seem eager to move on from the massacre.
Brett Cross, a grieving parent, emphasized the need for unity within the community. He said, “It is hard enough waking up every day… and see a cop who you know was standing there when our babies were murdered and bleeding out.” The families hope that the Justice Department report will provide a common set of facts and lead to criminal charges.
During a news conference in the city, Attorney General Garland stopped short of stating whether charges should be filed, leaving that decision to Uvalde County District Attorney Christina Mitchell. The report also criticizes state and local officials for releasing false and misleading information about the police response, undermining public trust in law enforcement.
As the community grapples with the painful aftermath of the Uvalde school massacre, many like Jesse Rizo, whose niece was a victim, are left searching for accountability. While Rizo hopes for charges to be brought forth, he acknowledges the past track record of those in power. He said, “You hope for the best, but the past will tell you basically what your outcome is going to be.”
The road to justice for the victims of the Uvalde school massacre remains uncertain. As the community waits for answers and accountability, the release of the Justice Department report serves as a stark reminder of the failures that occurred on that tragic day in May 2002.
