Uvalde County Commissioners Vote to Release Records Related to School Shooting
Uvalde County commissioners have voted to release records related to the 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary School, where 19 students and two teachers were killed. The decision comes after a yearslong legal battle over the disclosure of the information. The commissioners voted 2-1 to release the records and stop appealing a 2022 lawsuit filed by a group of media organizations, including The Associated Press.
Background of the Lawsuit
The group of media organizations had sued both the county and the school district for the release of the records. The lawsuit was filed in 2022, and since then, there have been numerous court rulings and appeals. Recently, a Texas appeals court upheld a judge’s ruling that ordered the information to be made public. This decision led to the county commissioners and the school district voting to release the records.
Records to be Released
The records 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. Additionally, the school district will release 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.
Reaction from Family Members and Officials
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 to release the records. Rizo is also a member of the school board and apologized for the delay in releasing the records during the board’s July 21 meeting. Uvalde County Commissioner Ronald Garza expressed his support for releasing the information, stating that he is "very happy that we’re gonna release the information."
Ongoing Investigations and Trials
Former school officer Adrian Gonzales and Pete Arredondo have pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of child abandonment and endangerment. They are set to face trial on October 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.
Conclusion
The decision by Uvalde County commissioners to release records related to the school shooting marks a significant step towards transparency and accountability. While the release of these records may not provide closure for the families of the victims, it is a crucial step in understanding what happened and how to prevent similar tragedies in the future. The release of the records is expected to shed more light on the events surrounding the shooting and the response of law enforcement.
