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Footage from inside Robb Elementary School during the tragic shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead was leaked on Tuesday (July 12) by two local news outlets — KVUE and the Austin American-Statesman.
Now, a top law enforcement official is decrying the release of the footage, according to Business Insider. Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw released the following statement about the release of the video:
"I am deeply disappointed this video was released before all of the families who were impacted that day and the community of Uvalde had the opportunity to view it as part of Chairman Dustin Burrows’ plan. Those most affected should have been among the first to see it. As I stated during my testimony before the Senate Special Committee to Protect All Texans, this video provides horrifying evidence that the law enforcement response to the attack at Robb Elementary on May 24 was an abject failure. In law enforcement, when one officer fails, we all fail."
The video, which shows law enforcement officials waiting in the hallway as the gunman opens fire in a nearby classroom and then retreating, gives the public insight into the events that unfolded in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24. KVUE and the Austin American-Statesman have defended the release of the surveillance video.
"We're doing this for these people, for their families in Uvalde, for the people of the city, and really the people of the state of Texas who have been desperate to learn what happened inside that school back in May," KVUE anchor Bryan Mays said on air, according to CNN.
"This is not a decision that we have taken lightly. We have carefully considered what we are doing here. We found ourselves in a position — once we obtained this video — that we similarly did not feel it was in our interest to withhold it from the public," Statesman reporter Tony Plohetski said.
You can watch the Uvalde shooting footage here.