The City of Uvalde has released a comprehensive collection of records related to the devastating Robb Elementary School shooting that occurred in May 2022, providing an updated and chilling look into the events of that tragic day.
The newly unveiled documents include 911 calls, body camera footage, dash cam videos, and other crucial records, shedding light on the chaotic police response and the harrowing experiences of those trapped inside the school during the shooting.
One of the most poignant pieces of evidence released was a 911 call from Khloie Torres, a fourth grader who was inside the classroom where the shooting took place. In the call, Torres can be heard attempting to count the survivors.
“A lot of people are gone,” Khloie Torres said while trying to tally the survivors in her classroom, eventually giving up after counting eight. Meanwhile, the sounds of other students begging for help and the moans of the injured could be heard in the background.
The 10-year-old’s desperate pleas for help paint a heartbreaking picture of the scene inside the classroom as she tells the dispatcher, “Please help, they are dying.”
Her full 17-minute conversation with the dispatcher further revealed the intensity of the situation as she recounted the number of students around her and described the chaos unfolding.
The release of these records follows a lawsuit filed by a coalition of news organizations, including The Washington Post, demanding greater transparency about the police response to the massacre.
The newly available records include body camera footage from five police officers, audio from emergency communications, and text messages exchanged between officials during the crisis. The records provide new insight into the delayed response and confusion that plagued law enforcement’s efforts, according to The Washington Post.
The released materials highlight critical gaps and delays. Reports indicate that it took over 70 minutes for officers to confront the shooter, a delay that has been criticized for potentially exacerbating the number of casualties, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Former Uvalde CISD Police Chief Pedro “Pete” Arredondo, who has been charged with 10 felony counts of child endangerment, has defended his actions, suggesting that he was unfairly blamed and that state troopers should have assumed command of the situation.
Adrian Gonzales, another former school district officer, faces charges related to child endangerment. Gonzales has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The newly released records also include a distressing 911 call made by the shooter’s uncle, Armando Ramos, who pleaded with authorities to put him in contact with his nephew so he could try to persuade him to stop the attack.
“Maybe he can stand down,” Ramos said during the call.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, almost two years after the shooting, the victims’ families reached a $2 million settlement with the city in May. However, they still plan to file additional lawsuits against law enforcement officials and the school district.
Under the agreement, the $2 million will be distributed among the families of 17 children who lost their lives and two of the survivors, with the compensation being drawn from the city’s insurance policy. A total of 19 children and two teachers were killed in the incident, and 17 other students were injured.