Uvalde County Commissioners Vote to Release Records Related to 2022 School Shooting
HOUSTON — Leaders of the county where 19 students and two teachers were killed in the 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, voted Monday to release records related to the massacre, ending a yearslong legal battle over disclosure of the information.
Uvalde County commissioners voted 2-1 to release the records and to stop appealing a 2022 lawsuit that a group of media organizations, including The Associated Press, had filed seeking to make the information public.
The decision by commissioners came a week after the Uvalde district’s school board voted to release its records related to the deadly rampage, one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history.
The group of media organizations had sued both the county and the school district for the release of the records.
Breaking News
Background of the Case
County commissioners and the school district voted to release the records after a Texas appeals court on July 16 upheld a judge’s ruling that had ordered the information be made public.
Both the county and the school district have not said when the records will be released.
“For me, the appellate court’s decision to uphold (the judge’s) ruling to hand over the video coverage was just confirmation for me that … what are we hiding?” Uvalde County Commissioner Ronald Garza told AP after Monday’s meeting. “I’m very happy that we’re gonna release the information.”
Reaction from Family Members and Officials
One county commissioner, Mariano Pargas Jr., who was the acting police chief on the day of the school shooting, abstained from the vote.
Family members of the victims had also pushed to make the records public.
Jesse Rizo, the uncle of 9-year-old victim Jackie Cazares, asked commissioners on Monday to release the records.
Rizo is also a member of the school board. During the board’s July 21 meeting, he apologized for the delay in releasing the records.
“Will it answer everything? No. Will it give you closure? I don’t think anything ever will give you that type of closure. Will it hopefully make you heal or allow you to heal? I pray that it does,” Rizo said last week.
Expected Records to be Released
Records from the county that are expected to be released include incident and 911 reports concerning Robb Elementary and other locations; video footage; ballistics and evidence logs; and reports of law enforcement interactions with the shooter and his mother.
Records from the school district expected to be released include body-worn and security camera footage from Robb Elementary; student files for the shooter; and records involving Pete Arredondo, the former Uvalde schools police chief who was later indicted over his role in the slow response to the shooting.
Charges Against Former Officials
Arredondo and former school officer Adrian Gonzales have pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of child abandonment and endangerment. They are set to face trial on Oct. 20.
Several officers involved, including Arredondo, were fired, and separate investigations by the Department of Justice and state lawmakers faulted law enforcement for botching their response to the massacre.
Other Developments in the Case
Uvalde city officials released their records in August 2024. The Texas Department of Public Safety is still fighting a separate lawsuit filed by media organizations for the release of that agency’s records related to the school shooting.
Conclusion
The decision by Uvalde County commissioners to release records related to the 2022 school shooting marks a significant step towards transparency and accountability. The release of these records is expected to provide valuable insights into the events surrounding the tragedy and may help to bring closure to the families of the victims.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What records are expected to be released by Uvalde County commissioners?
A: Records from the county that are expected to be released include incident and 911 reports concerning Robb Elementary and other locations; video footage; ballistics and evidence logs; and reports of law enforcement interactions with the shooter and his mother.
Q: What is the current status of the lawsuit filed by media organizations against the Texas Department of Public Safety?
A: The Texas Department of Public Safety is still fighting a separate lawsuit filed by media organizations for the release of that agency’s records related to the school shooting.
Q: When are Arredondo and Gonzales expected to face trial?
A: Arredondo and Gonzales are set to face trial on Oct. 20.
Q: What was the reaction of family members to the decision to release records?
A: Family members of the victims had also pushed to make the records public and welcomed the decision by Uvalde County commissioners to release the records.
