Reports following the tragic murder of elementary school children in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday claimed that the shooter was confronted by a school resource police officer prior to entering the building.
The reports were cited by Democrats as proof that shoring up school security with more armed personnel including police and teachers is an ineffective policy, and that only new gun bans and other gun control measures would work.
But according to a new report on Thursday, those initial claims of police confronting the shooter appear to have been incorrect.
The Daily Wire notes:
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has now confirmed that the 18-year-old shooter — who killed at least 19 children and two adults on Tuesday — was not confronted by law enforcement before he entered Robb Elementary School through an unlocked door.
Additionally, Breaking Points host Saagar Enjeti noted that DPS said officers “fell back” in order to reach “cover,” asking for tactical backup prior to making any attempt to breach the school while the shooter was inside.
Fox News reporter Bill Melugin shared the update in a tweet on Thursday, saying, “BREAKING: Texas DPS now says that there was no school police officer who encountered or engaged the mass shooter at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX. Shooter was not confronted before entry and it appears he walked into the school through an unlocked door, per DPS.”
BREAKING: Texas DPS now says that there was no school police officer who encountered or engaged the mass shooter at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX. Shooter was not confronted before entry and it appears he walked into the school through an unlocked door, per DPS.
— Bill Melugin
In addition, DPS also confirmed that there was not an armed resource officer at the school at the time the shooter arrived.
Texas DPS official says there was not an armed resource officer at Robb Elementary School when the shooting occurred.
— Greg Price ()
Earlier reports had indicated that not only had the gunman been engaged — either by a school resource officer or local law enforcement — prior to entering the school, but that the gunfire exchange resulted in him dropping a backpack full of ammunition that he might have used to shoot additional victims.
“Texas DPS tells me there was in fact a school police officer on campus at Robb Elementary who exchanged gunfire with the shooter and the officer was shot & injured. That is when the shooter ran inside the school, barricaded himself in a class, & began killing,” Melugin reported on Wednesday.
“Adding to this, TX DPS tells me three local officers were injured in the shooting, and as a result of the shootout with the school officer, the gunman dropped a bag of ammo he couldn’t bring inside. A responding Zavala County deputy engaged & had a weapon malfunction,” the report continued.
Adding to this, TX DPS tells me three local officers were injured in the shooting, and as a result of the shootout with the school officer, the gunman dropped a bag of ammo he couldn’t bring inside. A responding Zavala County deputy engaged & had a weapon malfunction.
— Bill Melugin
The gunman killed his grandmother before traveling to the school. He was eventually killed by U.S. Border Patrol agents who entered the school while he was engaged with local police.
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