The Justice Department announced Sunday it will conduct a review of the law enforcement response to thein Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two teachers dead.
“At the request of Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin, the U.S. Department of Justice will conduct a Critical Incident Review of the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24,” DOJ Spokesman Anthony Coley said in a statement. The review is a significant development as Texas officials and law enforcement have been under intense scrutiny for the way officers responded to the shooting.
The massacre, America’s deadliest school shooting since the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012, has been followed by conflicting official accounts of how it unfolded. The delayed police confrontation with the mass shooter has compounded parents’ anger, with some saying a quicker response could have saved children’s lives.
“The goal of the review is to provide an independent account of law enforcement actions and responses that day, and to identify lessons learned and best practices to help first responders prepare for and respond to active shooter events. The review will be conducted with the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing,” Conley said.