A grand jury has convened in Uvalde to weigh charges against law enforcement officers a day after a blistering DOJ report condemned them for their ‘epic failure’ in response to the massacre in which 19 students and two teachers were killed.
The 12-person special grand jury was impaneled Friday to consider if any of the nearly 400 cops who responded to the May 24, 2022 shooting and waited for 77 minutes before killing the Robb Elementary School shooter will be criminally charged, reported the Uvalde Leader-News.
Jurors are expected to spend at least six months reviewing evidence.
‘My office continues to methodically and systematically dissect the Texas Rangers investigation of which I have possessed for less than a year,’ local District Attorney Christina Mitchell told the local newspaper.
Police Chief Pete Arredondo at left. Police deploy in a hallway after Salvador Ramos entered Robb Elementary school to kill 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, U.S. May 24, 2022
![Pedro "Pete" Arredondo, the Uvalde school police chief who led the flawed law enforcement response to the Uvalde school shooting was fired](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/19/22/80240381-12984979-Pedro_Pete_Arredondo_the_Uvalde_school_police_chief_who_led_the_-a-14_1705702132322.jpg)
Pedro “Pete” Arredondo, the Uvalde school police chief who led the flawed law enforcement response to the Uvalde school shooting was fired
![The victims of the Uvalde school shooting on May 24, 2022 included 19 students and two teachers](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/19/22/63235695-12984979-The_victims_of_the_Uvalde_school_shooting_on_May_24_2022-a-16_1705703040069.jpg)
The victims of the Uvalde school shooting on May 24, 2022 included 19 students and two teachers
‘I want to ensure that our efforts in this process are careful, deliberate and fair. I am continuously mindful of my responsibility to the victims, their families, to those under a cloud of accusation and to our community.’
Parents of the children slaughtered during the school massacre have been demanding that cops who let their kids die face charges.
‘About fu–ing time,’ tweeted Brett Cross, whose son Uziyah “Uzi” Garcia was among the 19 students and two teachers killed.
‘Like I said yesterday at the presser, I hope this puts a fire under her a–, and it seems to be doing so. Thank you @dojphofficial!!!’
Students who had been shot and were trapped in two classrooms with the shooter called 911 as the police stood outside waiting for backup.
![Law enforcement waited 77 minutes before intervening in the school massacre](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/19/22/80226943-12984979-Law_enforcement_waited_77_minutes_before_intervening_in_the_scho-a-15_1705702132609.jpg)
Law enforcement waited 77 minutes before intervening in the school massacre
![From the hallway right outside the two classrooms where a shooter was killing kids, school district police Pete Arredondo shielded themselves from gun fire while failing to help the fourth graders who had been gunned down inside](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/19/22/80240353-12984979-image-a-17_1705703088086.jpg)
From the hallway right outside the two classrooms where a shooter was killing kids, school district police Pete Arredondo shielded themselves from gun fire while failing to help the fourth graders who had been gunned down inside
The DOJ report singled out several officers, including former school district police chief Pete Arredondo who was the incident commander.
In the aftermath and anger over the botched police response, Arredondo claimed he was never designated as the incident commander.
However, the DOJ report made it clear that generally accepted police procedures meant that Arrendondo was the person in charge of the police response since he was among the first officers to arrive, knew the school and was the chief of the department.
At Arredondo’s direction, other officers who did want to confront the shooter were ordered to stand down, including one officer whose wife was inside the classrooms where bullets were flying.
The report detailed how despite acknowledging the likelihood there were still children alive in the room, he ‘intentionally prioritized the evacuations over immediate breach and entry into the room.’
![Uvalde residents who lost loved ones in the shooting have been calling for firings and prosecutions of the cops involved for nearly two years. So far, no one has been charged](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/19/22/80240335-12984979-image-a-18_1705703203158.jpg)
Uvalde residents who lost loved ones in the shooting have been calling for firings and prosecutions of the cops involved for nearly two years. So far, no one has been charged
![City police Lt. Mariano Pargas was singled out in the new DOJ report for his catastrophic lack of leadership during the mass shooting](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/19/22/80185389-12984979-City_police_Lt_Mariano_Pargas_was_singled_out_in_the_new_DOJ_rep-a-19_1705703223009.jpg)
City police Lt. Mariano Pargas was singled out in the new DOJ report for his catastrophic lack of leadership during the mass shooting
![Uvalde County Sheriff Ruben Nolasco, left, is comforted by Ted Cruz. Nolasco was singled out for his catastrophic lack of leadership during the mass shooting](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/19/22/80185449-12984979-Uvalde_County_Sheriff_Ruben_Nolasco_left_is_comforted_by_Ted_Cru-a-20_1705703244713.jpg)
Uvalde County Sheriff Ruben Nolasco, left, is comforted by Ted Cruz. Nolasco was singled out for his catastrophic lack of leadership during the mass shooting
‘This is counter to active shooter response principles, which state the priority is to address and eliminate the threat,’ the report added.
Uvalde Police Chief Mariano Pargas and Uvalde County Sheriff Ruben Nolasco were all named for the lack of competence.
The DOJ stated Sheriff Nolasco failed to share vital information about the shooter that he learned from relatives and failed to assign anyone to investigate.
The report continued: ‘At one point, Sheriff Nolasco and UPD Acting Chief Pargas were within 10-15 feet of each other outside the exterior door of the northwest hallway.
![Christina Mitchell Busbee, 38th Judicial District Attorney, speaks during a press conference about the mass shooting at Uvalde High School on May 27, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/19/22/80239909-12984979-image-a-21_1705703483217.jpg)
Christina Mitchell Busbee, 38th Judicial District Attorney, speaks during a press conference about the mass shooting at Uvalde High School on May 27, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas
![Brett Cross (center), father of Uziyah Garcia, who passed away during the mass shooting has been one of the most vocal parents to call for accountability for the cops involved in the botched police response](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/19/22/80236437-12984979-image-a-22_1705703492564.jpg)
Brett Cross (center), father of Uziyah Garcia, who passed away during the mass shooting has been one of the most vocal parents to call for accountability for the cops involved in the botched police response
![US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland speaks during a press conference in Uvalde where he and other top federal prosecutors delivered their report to the families of the victims in person](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/19/22/80226905-12984979-image-a-23_1705703511528.jpg)
US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland speaks during a press conference in Uvalde where he and other top federal prosecutors delivered their report to the families of the victims in person
‘However, they were not coordinating with one another and continued to act independently.
‘Without proper command and control, a game warden and constable were taking on roles traditionally performed by an incident commander.
‘On the day of the incident, no leader effectively questioned the decisions and lack of urgency of UCISD PD Chief Arredondo and UPD Acting Chief Pargas toward entering classrooms 111/112.’
Jurors are expected to meet twice a month to hear testimony from witnesses and study evidence.
Once their review is complete, they should make a recommendation and possibly issue a report on their findings.
The district attorney could decide to charge cops or the case would be presented to a regular grand jury.