Newly released body cam footage shows Uvalde police trying to negotiate with the shooter after hearing gunshots and learning children were in the classroom: ‘this could be peaceful’

Uvalde police have been criticized for their handling of the shooting. Austin American-Statesman/Reuters Body camera footage shows new details of officers responding to the May 24 Robb Elementary shooting. Video shows the Uvalde police chief pleading with the gunman to surrender after learning children were in the classroom.

Armed officers are also shown in the video, but no one orders them to take down the shooter. Newly released body camera footage shows a clearer picture of the lack of urgency shown by police officers during the May 24 shooting.  CNN obtained body camera footage from Uvalde Sgt.

Daniel Coronado and Officer Justin Mendoza, officers who were at the scene during the shooting at Robb Elementary that ended in the deaths of 19 children and two teachers. The video was given to CNN by Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin and released on Sunday. For much of the video, officers can be seen waiting for directions.

“What are we doing here?” an officer is heard saying. The initial urgency among law enforcement dissipates after commanding officers report that the gunman is barricaded alone. Twenty-five minutes after arriving, police can be seen helping students and teachers escape from nearby classrooms by breaking windows.

The footage then shows officers standing in the hallway while Uvalde School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo pleads with the gunman to surrender, saying “this could be peaceful. “The gunman does not respond. A 911 dispatch can then be heard notifying the police there are victims still inside the classroom.

 Despite learning this information, six minutes go by with no response, CNN reported.  After officers on-scene obtain the correct key to enter the classrooms, armed law enforcement arrives, but no one orders them to go in.  Gunshots can be heard in the footage, and Arredondo again seeks to negotiate with the shooter.

“Sir if you can hear me, please put your firearm down, sir,” Arredondo can be heard saying. “We don’t want anybody else hurt. “Armed officers enter the classroom 30 minutes after learning that children are still inside and kill the shooter.

The police response to the Robb Elementary shooting has drawn ire from state officials, community members and families of victims.  Video released Tuesday by the Austin American-Statesmen shows police officers waiting in the hallway for 77 minutes before eventually taking down the shooter. One officer checks his phone in the hallway while another puts on hand sanitizer.

An interim report of the shooting released Sunday by the Texas House investigative committee highlighted that multiple agencies on the scene were responsible for the disorganized response, and “no responder seized the initiative to establish and incident command post. ” “Despite the immediate presence of local law enforcement leaders, there was an unacceptably long period of time before officers breached the classroom, neutralized the attacker, and began rescue efforts,” the report says.  Read the original article on Insider.