Shooting in Uvalde: an investigation report on the shooting could be published within 10 days

CNN
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The preliminary report of the Texas House committee of inquiry into the Robb Elementary School massacre in Uvalde could be released in the next 10 days, and the committee chairman is pushing for the report to include the critical 77 minutes of surveillance video « from the corridor », according to a source close to the committee.

The president is not pushing for the release of a video showing victims or images of violence, according to this source.

The shooting took place on May 24, when a gunman shot and killed 19 young students and two teachers in a classroom before authorities broke down the door more than an hour later.

Rep. Dustin Burrows, the committee’s chairman, is barred from releasing the 77-minute ‘hallway’ video of law enforcement’s response because he signed a nondisclosure agreement with the department from Texas Public Safety, Burrows revealed on Twitter on Friday.

Burrows attached two letters to his tweet. In a letter, he asked the DPS for permission to release the video to the public. The other letter is a response from the DPS saying that the agency agrees that the video will bring « clarity to the public regarding the tragic events in Uvalde », but that the Uvalde District Attorney « objected to the broadcast of the video ».

Burrow’s tweet states that the video he is pushing to post « contains no images of victims or footage of violence. »

On Thursday, Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin refuted a new assessment of law enforcement’s response to the shooting, saying the report from the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center (ALERRT ) « does not give a full and accurate account of what happened ».

McLaughlin disputed the first part of the report, which said a Uvalde policeman with a rifle spotted the shooter outside the school, but a supervisor either didn’t hear the officer or responded too late when the officer asked permission to shoot.

« No officer from the Uvalde Police Department saw the shooter on May 24 before he entered the school, » McLaughlin said in a statement. « No Uvalde police officer had the opportunity to shoot the shooter. »

CNN reached out to Uvalde District Attorney Christina Mitchell Busbee on Friday and Sunday asking her to comment on why she objects to the release of the video, but did not hear back.

According to the same source, the Texas House Committee of Investigation’s preliminary report will clarify conflicting accounts from previous reviews of what happened on May 24. The report will include verbatim quotes from sworn testimony, the source said.

The next Texas House Investigative Committee hearing is scheduled for Monday, July 11 at 9:00 a.m. CT in Austin.

The full list of witnesses for the hearing has not been released. But Uvalde County Sheriff Ruben Nolasco told CNN on Sunday he plans to testify on Monday. Nolasco said his testimony will be by videoconference and not in person.

Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan (R) created the three-member committee last month. Burrows, a Republican, was named president; Rep. Joe Moody (D) was named vice-chair; and former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman is a member.

The purpose of the commission of inquiry is to establish facts. Two other House committees, Youth Health and Safety and Homeland Security and Public Safety, will be tasked with making legislative recommendations.