More than a year and a half after the massacre at a Texas elementary school that left 21 people dead, the U.S. Department of Justice is issuing a scathing report to law enforcement authorities. In a final report of more than 600 pages, the ministry exposed widespread failures “in leadership, decision-making, tactics, policies and training”.
APA/AFP/Mark Felix
Some police officers were not trained to respond to an active shooter, US Attorney General Merrick Garland explained yesterday at a press conference in the small town of Uvalde. An 18-year-old man opened fire there on May 24, 2022, killing 19 children and two teachers. After about 75 minutes, police officers approached the shooter and shot him.
“Terrible reality”
In the US, riots and fatal shootings are, unfortunately, part of everyday life. Firearms are readily available and widely available. Many schools and universities have been conducting active shooter drills for years to prepare for a situation like Uvalde's.
“Our children should not grow up in a country where an 18-year-old has access to a weapon that belongs on the battlefield and not in the classroom,” Garland said. “But this is a terrible reality we face. And so it is a reality that all law enforcement agencies in all communities must be prepared for this.”