AUSTIN, Texas — A legal action has been initiated by the families of 19 victims of the tragic Uvalde elementary school shooting in Texas. The lawsuit, announced on Wednesday, is directed at nearly 100 state police officers who were part of the flawed law enforcement response.
In a public statement, the families revealed that they have also reached a $2 million settlement with the city. As part of this agreement, city leaders have pledged to enforce higher standards and provide improved training for local police.
The announcement was made just two days shy of the two-year mark of one of the most devastating school shootings in the history of the United States. On May 24, 2022, a teenage shooter stormed into a fourth-grade classroom at Robb Elementary School, killing 19 students and two teachers.
This lawsuit is the most recent in a series of legal actions seeking to hold law enforcement accountable for their response. Despite more than 370 federal, state, and local officers arriving at the scene, they waited over 70 minutes before confronting the shooter.
The lawsuit highlights that state troopers failed to adhere to their active shooter training and duty to confront the shooter. Meanwhile, the students and teachers inside the school were following their lockdown protocols, which included turning off lights, locking doors, and maintaining silence.
“The protocols trap teachers and students inside, leaving them fully reliant on law enforcement to respond quickly and effectively,” the families and their attorneys stated.
‘A Complete Betrayal’
Inside the classroom, terrified students dialed 911 while distraught parents pleaded with officers, some of whom could hear gunshots while standing in a hallway, to intervene. A tactical team of officers eventually entered the classroom and neutralized the shooter.
“The inaction of law enforcement that day was a total and absolute betrayal of these families and the sons, daughters, and mothers they lost,” said Erin Rogiers, one of the attorneys representing the families. “TXDPS had the resources, training, and firepower to respond appropriately, and they ignored all of it and failed on every level. These families have not only the right but also the responsibility to demand justice.”
A criminal investigation into the police response by Uvalde District Attorney Christina Mitchell’s office is still underway. A grand jury was convened this year, and some law enforcement officials have already been summoned to testify.
The lawsuit, which targets 92 Texas Department of Public Safety officials and troopers, also names the Uvalde School District, former Robb Elementary Principal Mandy Gutierrez, and former Uvalde schools police Chief Peter Arredondo as defendants.
Another lawsuit filed in December 2022 against local and state police, the city, and other school and law enforcement, seeks at least $27 billion and class-action status for survivors. Additionally, at least two other lawsuits have been filed against Georgia-based gun manufacturer Daniel Defense, which produced the AR-style rifle used by the gunman.
The settlement with the city was capped at $2 million as the families stated they didn’t want to bankrupt the city where they still reside and to allow the community to continue its healing process. The settlement will be covered by the city’s insurance.
As part of the settlement, the city agreed to a new “fitness for duty” standard and enhanced training for Uvalde police officers. It also establishes May 24 as an annual day of remembrance, a permanent memorial in the city plaza, and support for mental health services for the families and the broader Uvalde area.
The police response to the mass shooting has been heavily criticized and scrutinized by state and federal authorities. A 600-page Justice Department report in January detailed “cascading failures” in training, communication, leadership, and technology on that day.
Another report commissioned by the city also pointed out numerous missteps by law enforcement but defended the actions of local police, which sparked outrage from victims’ families.
“For two long years, we have languished in pain and without any accountability from the law enforcement agencies and officers who allowed our families to be destroyed that day,” said Veronica Luevanos, whose daughter Jailah and nephew Jayce were among the victims. “This settlement reflects a first good faith effort, particularly by the City of Uvalde, to begin rebuilding trust in the systems that failed to protect us.”
Disagree – Authorities should be held accountable for their negligence in responding to such a tragic event.
Agree – Victims’ families deserve justice for the mishandled response by Texas State Police.
Disagree – Families deserve justice for the mishandled response by Texas State Police.
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