A grand jury has been assembled by a prosecutor in Uvalde, Texas, to investigate potential criminal liability of the police in relation to a tragic mass shooting at a local elementary school in 2022. The incident claimed the lives of 19 schoolchildren and two teachers, prompting District Attorney Christina Mitchell to initiate the inquiry, according to Texas media reports. Mitchell’s jurisdiction covers Uvalde, located approximately 80 miles (130 km) west of San Antonio. Requests for comment from Mitchell by Reuters have gone unanswered.
Law enforcement officers managed to fatally shoot the 18-year-old perpetrator at Robb Elementary School, but the delay of over an hour before entering the fourth-grade classrooms was deemed a crucial failure in a review conducted by the U.S. Justice Department. Attorney General Merrick Garland, speaking at a press conference in Uvalde on Thursday, emphasized that adhering to established protocols for active-shooter situations and taking immediate action would have saved lives.
Despite being one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, this incident, like others before it, has had limited impact on gun regulation. Courts and legislatures have generally upheld the individual’s right to bear arms.
Mitchell clarified that her decision to initiate an investigation was not prompted by the Justice Department’s report. She had already planned to convene the grand jury before being aware that the review would be made public, as reported by the Express-News. The specific focus of the grand jury’s confidential proceedings has not been disclosed, but Mitchell had previously mentioned the potential investigation of whether the police could be held criminally responsible and whether anyone assisted the shooter in acquiring weapons or ammunition.
According to the Uvalde Leader-News, a special grand jury consisting of twelve individuals was selected on Friday. The jury is expected to dedicate at least six months to examining the events that unfolded on May 24, 2022.
A grand jury has been convened in Uvalde, Texas, to investigate whether police were criminally liable for their response to a mass shooting at a school in 2022. The shooting resulted in the deaths of 19 schoolchildren and two teachers. The shooter was eventually killed by police, but they delayed storming the classroom for over an hour. The U.S. Justice Department called this delay a critical failure. Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that lives could have been saved if police had followed standard procedures for active shooter situations. Despite being one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, it has had little impact on gun regulation. The district attorney, Christina Mitchell, decided to convene the grand jury before the Justice Department report was made public. The focus of the investigation remains undisclosed, but it may involve determining if police can be held criminally responsible or if anyone assisted the shooter in obtaining weapons or ammunition. The grand jury is expected to spend at least six months studying the events of May 24, 2022.
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