US Attorney General Meets with Families of Uvalde School Massacre Victims Ahead of DOJ Report Release
Uvalde, Texas – In a heartfelt and emotional meeting, US Attorney General Merrick Garland met with the families of the victims of the Uvalde school massacre. This gathering took place on Wednesday evening, just one day before the Department of Justice (DOJ) was set to release its report on law enforcement’s response to the tragic mass shooting that claimed the lives of 19 children and two teachers.
During the meeting, Garland, along with US Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta and other DOJ staff, shared some of the findings from the critical incident review. In order to provide support to the grieving families, grief counselors were also present. However, not all family members left the meeting satisfied. Ruben and Jamie Torres, parents of Khloie Torres, expressed their disappointment, stating that they didn’t hear anything new.
Khloie, who miraculously survived the massacre, was only 10 years old at the time. She found herself trapped inside Robb Elementary School with the gunman who had already taken the lives of her friends and teacher. Throughout the incident, Khloie made repeated calls to 911 in a desperate plea for help.
Prior to the meeting, several family members admitted feeling nervous but also hopeful. They were eager to find out about accountability and receive the answers they had been seeking regarding the police response at Robb Elementary School. One parent stated, “It will be interesting to see if they (share) any info that’s worth anything.”
Alfred Garza III, whose 10-year-old daughter Amerie Jo Garza was tragically killed in the shooting, described the meeting as “going okay.” He expressed his hope that the report would provide some answers but also mentioned that it seemed to cover information that was already known to the public. Garza did receive some answers to his own questions during the meeting but chose not to disclose the specifics until after the report’s release.
While the DOJ confirmed that the critical incident review would be released on Thursday, they did not confirm the meeting with the families that took place on Wednesday night. Although the families were not given a copy of the report, Garland briefed them on its content.
Before meeting with the families, Garland took the time to tour murals in Uvalde that were created to honor the victims. These “Healing Uvalde Murals” were painted by 21 portrait artists from around the area, with each mural representing one of the lives lost in the tragic event.
The Uvalde community continues to grapple with the question of why it took a staggering 77 minutes to apprehend the gunman. During this time, more than 370 law enforcement officers had gathered at the scene. Shockingly, children inside the school made repeated calls to 911 for help, causing further controversy over the delayed response. The actions of law enforcement during this incident contradicted established protocols for responding to active shooter situations, which emphasize the need for immediate action to neutralize the threat.
Given the ongoing controversy surrounding the law enforcement response, the DOJ’s critical incident review aims to provide an independent account of the actions and responses of law enforcement. Additionally, it seeks to identify lessons learned and best practices for future first responders in similar situations. The DOJ hopes that this report will serve as a roadmap for community safety and engagement before, during, and after active shooter incidents.
Oscar Orona, whose son Noah survived the massacre despite sustaining a gunshot wound to his back, described Wednesday’s briefing as “very positive.” He expressed confidence that the report would validate their beliefs about what transpired and what should have been done differently. Orona expressed hope that with the release of this report, people around the world would finally recognize the “abysmal failure” of law enforcement in this tragic event.
As the Uvalde community eagerly awaits the release of the DOJ report, they hope that it will provide the answers and accountability they have been seeking. The families of the victims are determined to ensure that no other community has to endure a tragedy like theirs and that their loved ones will be remembered as catalysts for change.
