Texas school shooting: Justice Department details review of police response

The Justice Department has revealed more details Wednesday about its review of the Uvalde, Texas school shooting, vowing that it “can and will use its expertise and independence to assess what happened and to provide guidance moving forward.” 

The investigation, which will be led by the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), will focus on providing “an independent account of law enforcement actions and responses, identify lessons learned and best practices to help first responders prepare for and respond to active shooter events, and provide a roadmap for community safety and engagement before, during and after such incidents,” it said. 

“Nothing can undo the pain that has been inflicted on the loved ones of the victims, the survivors, and the entire community of Uvalde,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “But the Justice Department can and will use its expertise and independence to assess what happened and to provide guidance moving forward.” 

Garland said Wednesday that the police review was requested by Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin. 

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“We will be doing site visits at the school, we will be conducting interviews of an extremely wide variety of stakeholders, witnesses, families, law enforcement, government, officials, school officials,” Garland said. 

The COPS Office will be assisted in the investigation by “a team of federal staff and subject matter experts,” the statement also said. 

The experts include FBI Unit Chief Albert Guarnieri, Orange County Florida Sheriff John Mina and other law enforcement officials. 

“Those experts have extensive experience in a variety of relevant areas, including emergency management and active shooter response, school safety, incident command and management, tactical operations, officer safety and wellness, and victim and family support,” the statement added.