Uvalde officer saw gunman before he entered school and asked for permission to shoot him: Report

The officer's supervisor either did not hear him or responded too late, a new report explaining an extensive timeline says

Thursday, July 7, 2022

Uvalde officer asked to shoot gunman before he entered school: Report

The officer witnessed Salvador Ramos with a rifle after he crashed outside the school. That's when he allegedly asked for permission to shoot the gunman before he had entered the school.

UVALDE, Texas -- Prior to the mass shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers in Uvalde, an armed officer saw the suspect with a rifle after crashing outside the school and asked his supervisor for permission to shoot the 18-year-old, a report released on Wednesday says.

The Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center examining the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School released a report of law enforcement's response.

There were several missed opportunities to stop the massacre before it even started, a new assessment of the law enforcement response to the Uvalde shooting said.

In a timeline description, before the suspect even entered the building at 11:33 a.m., a Uvalde police officer responding to the scene of the crash saw Salvador Ramos carrying a rifle outside the west hall entry, according to statements in the report.

The officer, also armed with a rifle, allegedly asked his supervisor for permission to shoot the suspect.

According to the report, his supervisor either did not hear the officer or responded too late. The officer turned to get confirmation but by the time he turned back to address the suspect, Ramos had already entered the west hallway unabated.

"In this instance, the UPD officer would have heard gunshots and/or reports of gunshots and observed an individual approaching the school building armed with a rifle. A reasonable officer would conclude in this case, based upon the totality of the circumstances, that use of deadly force was warranted," said the assessment, from Texas State University's Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training.

Thirty-two seconds after Ramos entered the school, he entered classroom 111.

"Immediately, children's screams could be heard along with numerous gunshots in the classrooms. The rate of fire was initially very rapid then slowed, lasting only a few seconds," the assessment said.

Five seconds later, the suspect exited the classroom, stepped into the hallway and then reentered 111.

"The suspect then re-enters what appears to be classroom 111 and continues to fire what is estimated to be over 100 rounds by 11:36:04, according to audio analysis. During the shooting, the sounds of children screaming, and crying, could be heard," the assessment said.

A 13-minute conversation was had at about 12:21 p.m. between Uvalde police Chief Pete Arredondo and an officer about tactical options and who has keys in the case of the door being locked, the report says.

By about 12:35 p.m. law enforcement officers arrived in west hallway with the first observed breaching tool, a Halligan. Ramos was not neutralized until 12:50 p.m., ending in his shooting death, according to the report.

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