Mass accusations were leveled against emergency services after the massacre at an elementary school in the US state of Texas. In particular, the fact that the police officers had to wait a long time in front of the classroom before they were given access was met with incomprehension. Three months later, there are now the first consequences for personnel: the responsible police chief is fired.
An 18-year-old gunman shot and killed 19 children and 2 teachers at the primary school in the small town of Uvalde in late May. The attacker shot his victims in two connected classrooms with an assault rifle.
The responsible body of the Uvalde school district decided behind closed doors on Wednesday evening (local time) to fire the school district police chief, CNN and other US media reported unanimously.
Access only took place after 75 minutes
In addition to the act itself, dramatic omissions in police action also caused astonishment: 19 police officers had already taken up positions in the hallway outside the classroom where the gunman had holed up with teachers and students. However, the officers made no attempts to enter the room and held back the perpetrator for more than 45 minutes.
Instead, they waited for reinforcements, although children from the room repeatedly called the police for help. More than 75 minutes after the gunman opened fire, emergency services entered the classroom and killed the gunman.
Many victims could have been saved
Several family members accused the police that they could have saved lives had they not waited so long. The school district police chief, in particular, came under pressure for being on the scene early and, according to his critics, responsible for coordinating the operation.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
