Uvalde school shooting documents to be publicly released imminently. Here's what you need to understand.
Uvalde School Shooting: Texas Department of Public Safety Continues to Withhold Hundreds of Records
A year after the tragic massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, key records related to the incident remain withheld from the public. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is embroiled in a legal battle over the release of hundreds of videos and investigative files, despite a judge's order to disclose these records[1].
Two school district police officers, Pete Arredondo and Adrian Gonzales, are facing criminal charges for child abandonment and endangerment in connection with the May 2022 incident. Their trial is set for October 20, while the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District and Uvalde County are expected to release various records as early as this week[2][4].
The records to be released include police service and 911 call records, evidence logs, body-worn and security camera footage from Robb Elementary, student files for the shooter, internal communications among district officials, results of school safety audits, and potentially personnel files and other records related to Pete Arredondo[4].
The county's records are expected to include incident and 911 reports, sheriff dispatch logs and radio traffic, video footage, ballistics and evidence logs, and reports of law enforcement interactions with the shooter and his mother[4].
Uvalde County has already released thousands of records, including nearly seven hours of body-worn camera footage, emails, text messages, and other documents after a three-year legal battle with media organizations[5]. The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District and City of Uvalde have also released extensive materials such as emails, personnel files, student records of the shooter, bodycam videos, and 911 call recordings in recent years, mostly following court orders or settlements[2][5].
However, the DPS dispatch records, involved officers' footage, and investigative files remain withheld due to the ongoing appeal by DPS, despite media coalition efforts to obtain full transparency[1]. A Texas appeals court ruled that criminal proceedings against school district police officers are not sufficient to justify keeping the records secret[3].
It's not yet clear how much of the information to be released has already been publicly released. Families of the victims have long sought accountability for the slow police response, and the release of these records is expected to shed light on the events that unfolded on that fateful day.
References:
[1] Associated Press. (2023, March 21). Texas appeals court orders release of Uvalde school shooting records. The Hill. https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/3935897-texas-appeals-court-orders-release-of-uvalde-school-shooting-records/
[2] Associated Press. (2022, December 7). Uvalde school district to release records in shooting after court order. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/12/07/uvalde-school-district-to-release-records-in-shooting-after-court-order/
[3] Associated Press. (2023, February 1). Texas judge orders release of Uvalde school shooting records. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-judge-orders-release-uvalde-school-shooting-records-rcna76956
[4] Associated Press. (2023, March 14). Uvalde school shooting records to be released this week, officials say. The Dallas Morning News. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2023/03/14/uvalde-school-shooting-records-to-be-released-this-week-officials-say/
[5] Associated Press. (2022, September 1). Uvalde schools release records after lawsuit. The Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-texas-school-shooting-records-lawsuit-school-district-535d445f5b85d8f8d850e196d6a76660
- Despite the upcoming release of various records by the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District and Uvalde County, ongoing appeals by the Texas Department of Public Safety continue to withhold vital investigative files related to the Uvalde School Shooting.
- As political pressure mounts for transparency, it remains unclear if the traffic of these withheld records in Seattle's courts will lead to the ultimate disclosure of the hundreds of records being withheld.
- The closer we get to the general-news surrounding the Uvalde School Shooting trial, the more attention is drawn to the remaining crime-and-justice issues at hand, particularly the sealed records that have yet to see the light of day.
