Texas authorities are providing new details about the timeline of the shooting in an elementary school in Uvalde.
But an hour gap between when the shooter entered the school and when he was killed is raising questions.
On Thursday, Victor Escalon, a regional director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, told reporters that the 18-year-old suspect entered Robb Elementary School at 11:40 a.m.
Escalon proceeded to recount the steps taken by the shooter as he made his way through the school.
“Officers are there. They receive gunfire. They don’t make entry initially because of the gunfire they are receiving. But we have officers calling for additional resources, everybody that’s in the area: tactical teams, we need equipment, we need specialty equipment, we need body armor, we need precision riflemen, negotiators,” he continued.
Finally, Escalon said, “During this time that they’re making those calls to bring in help to solve this problem and stop it immediately, they’re also evacuating…students, teachers. There’s a lot going on…Approximately an hour later, U.S. Border Patrol tactical teams arrive. They make entry, shoot and kill the suspect.”
Watch the video below:
A Texas official details what happens between the time that the shooter entered the school, and how long it took until the shooter was killed. pic.twitter.com/fJbQKv31Pv
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 26, 2022
However, the mention of that hour between when the shooter entered the school and Border Patrol agents’ arrival raised some questions.
CNN’s Shimon Prokupecz asked, “What were the officers doing between 11:44 and 12:44? You guys have said he was barricaded. Can you explain to us how he was barricaded and why you guys did not breach that door?
“I have taken all your questions into consideration,” Escalon responded.
Prokupecz pressed, “We’ve been given a lot of bad information, so why don’t you clear all of this up and explain to us how it is that your officers were in there for an hour…but yet no one was able to get inside that room?”
“Shimon, we will circle back with you. We want to answer all your questions. We want to give you the why. That’s our job. So give us time,” Escalon said.
REPORTER: "What were the officers doing between 11:44 and 12:44…?"
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 26, 2022
"We've been given a lot of bad information, so why don't you clear all of this up and explain to us how it is that your officers were in there for an hour…but yet no one was able to get inside…?" pic.twitter.com/ZFhYmTbpDp
Tuesday’s shooting at Robb Elementary School marks the second deadliest shooting at an elementary school in U.S. history. Nineteen children and two adults were killed.
There were reports that the gunman exchanged gunfire with a security guard before entering the school.
However, Escalon said on Thursday, “It was reported that a school district police officer confronted the suspect that was making entry. Not accurate. He walked in unobstructed initially…He was not confronted by anybody.”
Authorities also told reporters that the gunman was outside the school firing shots for 12 minutes before he walked in. Additionally, Escalon said it “appears” that the door the suspect walked through was unlocked.
