UVALDE, Texas (AP) — A legislative committee investigating the lethal taking pictures at a Texas elementary faculty final month is about to listen to extra testimony from regulation enforcement officers on Monday.
State Rep. Dustin Burrows, who’s chairing the committee investigating the taking pictures at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde, stated they might hear extra witness testimony from the Uvalde Police Division, along with talking with one other officer from the college district police and a member of the Division of Public Security.
“We need to a minimum of praise all of the regulation enforcement companies for being cooperative and offering the witnesses we have now requested for,” stated Burrows, a Republican from Lubbock.
After Burrows’ opening statements throughout the committee listening to in Uvalde, the committee went into government session, blocking the general public from listening to witness testimony.
Final Thursday, Burrows signaled impatience with the Uvalde Police Division, saying it was unclear whether or not they would testify voluntarily earlier than the panel. However he stated Friday that Uvalde police officers had agreed to talk with the committee.
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Burrows stated that testimony would proceed on Tuesday in Austin. He stated he hoped to supply data on when a minimum of a preliminary report could be launched to the general public.
An 18-year-old gunman killed 19 college students and two lecturers on the faculty on Might 24. Questions on why police didn’t confront and kill the gunman for greater than an hour, at the same time as anguished mother and father exterior the college urged officers to go in and panicked kids referred to as 911 from inside.
Legislation enforcement officers have offered little or conflicting data because the taking pictures, typically withdrawing statements hours after making them. Officers have declined to supply particulars, citing ongoing investigation.
Some are involved that Texas officers will use a authorized loophole to dam data from being launched — even to the victims’ households — as soon as the case is closed. The regulation’s exception protects data from being launched in crimes for which nobody has been convicted. The Texas Legal professional Basic’s Workplace has dominated that it applies when a suspect is useless.
Officers additionally haven’t launched data sought below public data legal guidelines to media retailers, together with The Related Press, usually citing broad exemptions and the continuing investigation. It has raised considerations about whether or not such data will likely be launched, even to victims’ households.
Others interviewed behind closed doorways by the committee embrace faculty employees.
Burrows has defended the committee interviewing witnesses in personal and never revealing their findings to date, saying its members need an correct account earlier than issuing a report.
Discover extra AP protection of the Uvalde faculty taking pictures: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting
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