Uvalde families demand details of shooting investigation at council meeting

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UVALDE — At an emotional City Council meeting Thursday, families of the Robb Elementary School shooting victims demanded the mayor launch details from the investigation. Mayor Don McLaughlin advised them he didn’t have any new information and the town can’t share something with the general public as a result of of the continued investigation.

“Nobody’s giving us any answers, it’s been over a month, you have no idea how frustrating that is. We’re sitting here, just listening to empty words,” stated the sister of Irma Garcia, one of two academics who was killed within the May 24 bloodbath together with 19 college students. She didn’t establish herself by identify when she addressed the City Council.

Tina Quintanilla-Taylor, whose daughter survived the shooting, additionally made a plea to state leaders who’ve details of the investigation and haven’t shared them with the neighborhood: “Show your face. Answer our questions, now,” she stated, going through TV news cameras.

Some members of the family additionally demanded to know why Pete Arredondo, a City Council member and faculty district police chief whose actions during the shooting have introduced withering criticism, failed to indicate as much as his second consecutive City Council meeting. According to the town constitution, the City Council may vacate the seat if Arredondo misses a 3rd consecutive meeting.

McLaughlin advised members of the family that if metropolis officers launched details concerning the shooting investigation, they could possibly be prosecuted, citing letters from the Texas Department of Public Safety and Uvalde County District Attorney Christina Mitchell Busbee requesting that no information be launched till the investigation is full.

The shooting is being investigated by the Texas Rangers, who’re half of DPS, and the FBI.

In the letter dated June 8, Busbee doesn’t point out prosecuting anybody, however says that “Any release of records to that incident at this time would interfere with said ongoing investigation and would impede a thorough and complete investigation.”

Busbee didn’t return a telephone message from The Texas Tribune in search of remark Thursday.

The shooting by an 18-year-old Uvalde man — who was killed by regulation enforcement after they waited greater than an hour to confront the shooter — is the worst Ok-12 faculty shooting within the nation since a gunman killed 20 youngsters and 6 adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012.

The aftermath has introduced anguished questions from dad and mom and residents who’re demanding solutions, in addition to finger-pointing between state and local officials over what most regulation enforcement specialists agree was a botched response by police as youngsters have been being slain inside the varsity.

During the council meeting, members of the family mentioned the concept of beginning an effort to recall Busbee. McLaughlin additionally supplied to resign if Uvalde residents felt he wasn’t doing his job

“I’m not a quitter. But if this community feels like I haven’t done a good job as mayor and they want me to resign, I’d be happy to,” he stated.

The meeting got here as a state House committee held its second straight day of non-public interviews as half of an investigation of the shooting. The committee, which is chaired by state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, heard testimony from the mayor, academics and Uvalde police and state cops.

Burrows has stated he believes witnesses would give extra candid testimony away from the general public eye.

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