Investigators Question Delayed Police Response in Texas School Shooting

Steven McCraw, director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, says the on-scene commander during the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School made the wrong decision and did not attempt to breach the classroom where the gunman was quickly enough. (Courtesy of YouTube)
Steven McCraw, director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, says the on-scene commander during the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School made the wrong decision and did not attempt to breach the classroom where the gunman was quickly enough. (Courtesy of YouTube)

May 28, 2022 – In Breaking News – Reuters

Investigators in Texas were seeking to determine on Saturday how critical mistakes were made in the response to the deadly Uvalde shooting, including why nearly 20 police officers remained outside a grade school classroom as children placed panicked 911 calls for help.

Why the officers waited in the hallway nearly an hour before entering and fatally shooting the gunman is at the heart of an ongoing probe by the Texas Department of Public Safety into the massacre of 19 children and two teachers in the deadliest U.S. school shooting in nearly a decade.

(Texas authorities are now admitting they botched the response to the school shooting in Uvalde, waiting too long to save children inside who were calling police to beg for help. 21 people died in the mass shooting. Courtesy of TODAY and YouTube. Posted on May 28, 2022.)

Investigators are also still searching for a motive for the attack. Salvador Ramos, a high school dropout, had no criminal record and no history of mental illness.

At least two children placed 911 calls from a pair of adjoining fourth-grade classrooms after 18-year-old Ramos entered on Tuesday with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, Colonel Steven McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said earlier this week.

(Steven McCraw, director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, says the on-scene commander during the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School made the wrong decision and did not attempt to breach the classroom where the gunman was quickly enough. Courtesy of CNN and YouTube. Posted on May 27, 2022.)

“He’s in room 112,” a girl whispered on the phone at 12:03 p.m., more than 45 minutes before a U.S. Border Patrol-led tactical team stormed in at 12:51 p.m. and ended the siege at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, a town of 16,000 people west of San Antonio.

The same girl had implored the 911 operator to “please send the police now” at 12:43 p.m. and again four minutes later.

The on-site commander, the chief of the school district’s police department, believed at the time that Ramos was barricaded inside and that children were no longer at immediate risk, giving officers time to prepare, McCraw said.

(People are outraged over law enforcement’s response to Tuesday’s shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. CBS News’ Omar Villafranca explains why the investigation is now turning to the police response. Courtesy of CBS News and YouTube. Posted on May 28, 2022.)

Continue reading… Investigators question delayed police response in Texas school shooting

Related Technologies…

Intrado Corporation Takes Platinum and Gold in the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program

2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon (starting front row, left to right) SIMS Software President & CEO Michael Struttmann; TENEO Risk Advisory Executive Chairman Commissioner Bill Bratton; NEC National Security Systems President Dr. Kathleen Kiernan; TSA Administrator David Pekoske; Fortior Solutions General Counsel Katherine Cowan; NEC Corporation of America Senior Vice President & Chief Experience Officer Raffie Beroukhim; TENEO Risk Advisory Chief of Staff David Cagno; Infragard National Board Member Doug Farber, Lumina Analytics Co-Founder & Chairman Allan Martin, and AMAROK Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing Mike Dorrington.
2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon (starting front row, left to right) SIMS Software President & CEO Michael Struttmann; TENEO Risk Advisory Executive Chairman Commissioner Bill Bratton; NEC National Security Systems President Dr. Kathleen Kiernan; TSA Administrator David Pekoske; Fortior Solutions General Counsel Katherine Cowan; NEC Corporation of America Senior Vice President & Chief Experience Officer Raffie Beroukhim; TENEO Risk Advisory Chief of Staff David Cagno; Infragard National Board Member Doug Farber, Lumina Analytics Co-Founder & Chairman Allan Martin, and AMAROK Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing Mike Dorrington.

American Security Today’s Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program, and now in its Seventh Year, continues to recognize industry leaders of Physical and Border Security, Cybersecurity, Emergency Preparedness – Management and Response, Law Enforcement, First Responders, as well as federal, state and municipal government agencies in the acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to Keep our Nation Secure.

Intrado Corporation (First of Two)

Best Risk, Crisis Management Solution

    • As students return to on-campus learning and as safety threats continue to evolve, schools across North America are leveraging Intrado’s trusted solutions for school safety management to manage risks and strengthen their crisis response capabilities.

  • Intrado Safety Suite is an unrivaled set of tools designed to help schools address safety threats from every angle. It is made up of three best-in-class solutions that are powerful on their own but even stronger when used together.

  • The suite helps schools take a complete and integrated approach to safety threat response.

(See how the Intrado Safety Suite can create safer environments for students, faculty, and parents by providing an end-to-end solution to manage safety events from incident detection all the way to resolution. Courtesy of Intrado and YouTube.)

Intrado Corporation (Second of Two)

Best IT Disaster Preparedness & Recovery Solution

  • Operations at educational institutions can be disrupted by situations like natural disasters, structure fires, school violence, campus vandalism, and more. Intrado Safety Suite was created to help schools address the disaster preparedness and recovery challenges such events bring about.

  • Intrado Safety Suite is made up of three unique solutions: Intrado Safety Shield (for end-to-end emergency response management), Intrado Revolution (for on-campus communication management), and SchoolMessenger Communicate (for mass notification).

  • Intrado Safety Shield allows for end-to-end disaster response management, enabling schools to digitize emergency operations plans and data, provide guidance to staff on response tasks, enhance situational awareness, achieve faster and more accurate emergency dispatch, and much more.

Intrado offers a comprehensive set of tools to help you prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from almost any kind of safety threat.
  • Intrado Revolution allows technology leaders to operate on-campus communications endpoints such as digital signage, strobe lights, speakers, sirens, bell systems, and much more from one interface to direct students and staff to safety in evacuation situations.

  • SchoolMessenger Communicate is the most tested and trusted school notification system in North America, with a long track record of helping schools communicate successfully in crisis situations.

  • In addition, Intrado technology helps process more than 90% of 911 calls across North America and serves more than 63,000 K-12 and higher education institutions. With more than 20+ years of experience in education and 40+ years of experience in public safety, Intrado has a pedigree that no one else in education can match.

  • *Intrado was also a Multiple-Award Winner in the 2020 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Awards Programs.

Thomas Richardson, FDNY Chief of Department; Dr. Kathleen Kiernan, President of NEC National Security Systems; and Richard Blatus, FDNY Assistant Chief of Operations at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon at ISC East.

AST Honors Thomas Richardson, FDNY Chief of Department; Dr. Kathleen Kiernan, President of NEC National Security Systems; and Richard Blatus, FDNY Assistant Chief of Operations, at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon at ISC East.

The United States was forever changed 20 years ago on September 11th, and we were fortunate to have many of those who responded to those horrific tragedies join us at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon.In the days that followed 9/11, the critical needs of protecting our country catapulted us into new and innovative ways to secure our homeland – which is how many of the agencies and enterprise organizations that are today ‘ASTORS’ Awards Champions, came into being.

Our keynote speaker TSA Administrator David Pekoske delivered a moving and timely address on the strategic priorities of the 64,000 member TSA workforce in securing the transportation system, enabling safe, and in many cases, contactless travel, and more (Be sure to see Interview.)
TSA Administrator David Pekoske addressing attendees at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon in New York City on November 17, 2021. (Be sure to see AST Exclusive Interview, facilitated by Dr. Kathleen Kiernan HERE.)

Our 2021 keynote speaker featured a moving and informative address from TSA Administrator and Vice-Admiral of the United States Coast Guard (Ret), David Pekoske; to our attendees who traveled from across the United States and abroad, on the strategic priorities of the 64,000 member TSA workforce in securing the transportation system, enabling safe, and in many cases, contactless travel.

Commissioner Bill Bratton signing copies of his latest work, ‘The Profession: A Memoir of Community, Race, and the Arc of Policing in America,’ at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon. (Be sure to see AST Exclusive Interview with Comm Bratton, facilitated by Dr. Kathleen Kiernan HERE.)

Legendary Police Commissioner William Bratton of the New York Police Department, the Boston Police Department, and former Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department was also live at the event, meeting with attendees and signing copies of his latest work ‘The Profession: A Memoir of Community, Race, and the Arc of Policing in America,’ courtesy of the generosity of our 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Premier Sponsors.

The 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program is Proudly Sponsored by New PLATINUM SPONSOR: NEC National Security Systems (NSS), New Premier Sponsors Rajant Corporation, and guardDog AI, and returning Sponsors to date, Automatic Systems, RX Global, and SIMS Software!

The continually evolving ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program will emphasize the trail of Accomplished Women in Leadership in 2022, as well as the Significance and Positive Impact of Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in our Next Generation of Government and Industry Leaders. #MentorshipMatters

So be on the lookout for exciting upcoming announcements of Speakers, Presenters, Book Signing Opportunities, and Attendees at the 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon in November of 2022 in New York City!

Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards at https://americansecuritytoday.com/ast-awards/.

Comprehensive List of Categories Include:

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Don’t see a Direct Hit for your Product, Agency or Organization?

Submit your category recommendation for consideration to Michael Madsen, AST Publisher at: mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.

Team TSA
Honoring the 20th anniversary of the Transportation Security Administration (Team TSA at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon.)

In 2021 over 200 distinguished guests representing Federal, State and Local Governments, and Industry Leading Corporate Firms gathered from across North America, Europe, and the Middle East to be honored among their peers in their respective fields which included:

NCDMPH (Dr. Goolsby second from left), and American Red Cross Members accept 'Excellence in Public Safety' Awards at 2021 'ASTORS' Luncheon
NCDMPH (Dr. Goolsby second from left), and American Red Cross Members accept an ‘Excellence in Public Safety’ Awards at 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Luncheon
Representing NEC at the 2021 'ASTORS' Awards Luncheon -Stacey Brown, SVP Raffie Beroukhim, Dr. Kathleen Kiernan, 2021 'ASTORS' Industry Leader of the Year; Christopher Gillyard, Rachel Sisk, and Frank Sangiorg
Representing NEC Corporation at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon at ISC in New York City – NEC Director of Marketing Stacey Brown, NEC Senior Vice President Raffie Beroukhim, NEC NSS President Dr. Kathleen Kiernan, the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Extraordinary Industry Leadership & Innovation Person of the Year; NEC NSS Regional Sales Director Chris Gillyard, NEC NSS Executive Assistant Rachel Sisk, and NEC Regional Sales Director Frank Sangiorgi

Corporate firms, the majority of which return year to year to build upon their record of accomplishment include:

AlertMedia, Allied Universal, AMAROK, ATI Systems, Attivo Networks, Axis Communications, Automatic Systems of America, BriefCam, Canon U.S.A., Fortior Solutions, guardDog.ai, Hanwha Techwin of America, HID Global, Mark43, IPVideo Corporation, Konica Minolta Business Solutions, Lumina Analytics, NEC National Security Systems, NICE Public Safety, OnSolve, PureTech Systems, Quantum Corporation, Rave Mobile Safety, Regroup Mass Notification, Robotic Assistance Devices, Rajant Corporation, SafeLogicSenstar Corporation, ShotSpotter, Singlewire Software, SolarWinds Worldwide, Teledyne FLIR, Valor Systems, and Wiresecure, just to name a few!

Jeff Wiebell, Regional Sales Manager and David Enderle, President at Automatic Systems America accept the 2021 Platinum 'ASTORS' Award for Best Pedestrian Entrance Control Solution at ISC East.
Jeff Wiebell, Regional Sales Manager and David Enderle, President at Automatic Systems America accept the 2021 Platinum ‘ASTORS’ Award for Best Pedestrian Entrance Control Solution at ISC East.

Why American Security Today?

The traditional security marketplace has long been covered by a host of publications putting forward the old school basics to what is Today – a fast-changing security landscape.

American Security Today is uniquely focused on the broader Homeland Security & Public Safety marketplace with over 75,000 readers at the Federal, State, and local levels of government as well as firms allied to the government.

American Security Today brings forward a fresh compelling look and read with our customized digital publications that hold readers’ eyes throughout the story with cutting-edge editorial that provides solutions to their challenges.

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AST puts forward the Largest and Most Qualified Circulation in Government with Over 75,000 readers on the Federal, State and Local levels.
AST puts forward the Largest and Most Qualified Circulation in Government with Over 75,000 readers on the Federal, State and Local levels.

AST Digital Publications are distributed to over 75,000 qualified government and homeland security professionals, in federal, state, local, and private security sectors.

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AST Reaches both Private & Public Experts, essential to meeting these new challenges.

Today’s new generation of public safety and security experts need real-time knowledge to deal with domestic and international terrorism, lone wolf attacks, unprecedented urban violence, shifts in society, culture, and media bias – making it increasingly difficult for Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Military and Private Security Professionals to implement coordinated security measures to ensure national security and improve public safety.

American Security Today

These experts are from Government at the federal, state, and local level as well as from private firms allied to the government.

AST provides a full plate of topics in our AST Monthly Magazine Editions, AST Website, and AST Daily News Alerts, covering 23 Vital Sectors such as Access Control, Perimeter Protection, Video Surveillance/Analytics, Airport Security, Border Security, CBRNE Detection, Border Security, Ports, Cybersecurity, Networking Security, Encryption, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Campus Security, Security Services, Corporate Facilities, and Emergency Response among others.

AST has Expanded readership into integral Critical Infrastructure audiences such as Protection of Nuclear Facilities, Water Plants & Dams, Bridges & Tunnels, and other potential targets of terrorism.

Other areas of concern include Transportation Hubs, Public Assemblies, Government Facilities, Sporting & Concert Stadiums, our Nation’s Schools & Universities, and Commercial Business Destinations – all enticing targets due to the large number of persons and resources clustered together.

(See just a few highlights of American Security Today’s 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon at ISC East. Courtesy of My Pristine Images and Vimeo.)

To learn more about ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Award Winners solutions, please see the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ CHAMPIONS Edition Fully Interactive Magazine – the Best Products of 2021 ‘A Year in Review’.

The Annual CHAMPIONS edition includes a review of Annual ‘ASTORS’ Award Winning products and programs, highlighting key details on many of the winning firm’s products and services, including video interviews and more.

It serves as your Go-To Source throughout the year for The Best of 2021 Products and Services endorsed by American Security Today, and can satisfy your agency’s and/or organization’s most pressing Homeland Security and Public Safety needs.

From Physical Security (Access Control, Critical Infrastructure, Perimeter Protection, and Video Surveillance Cameras and Video Management Systems), to IT Security (Cybersecurity, Encryption, Data Storage, Anti-Malware and Networking Security – Just to name a few), the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ CHAMPIONS EDITION has what you need to Detect, Delay, Respond to, and Mitigate today’s real-time threats in our constantly evolving security landscape.

It also includes featured guest editorial pieces from some of the security industry’s most respected leaders, and recognized firms in the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program.

  • For a complete list of 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Award Winners, begin HERE.

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