Many law enforcement officials told Breitbart Texas that part of the delay in stopping the grade school shooter barricade was due to a deadly combination of defensive tactics and a lack of necessary equipment. In particular, officers did not have the ballistic shields necessary to enter the classroom with an artillery barricade. Attempting to force the door open without a ballistic shield will result in the certain death of officers who may surrender to the officer’s firearms and ammunition. It is also possible that the shooter removed communication equipment from the police bodies, thus allowing the shooter to listen to police actions and plans.
The border guard source, who was familiar with the methods used by the rapidly forming law enforcement group to apprehend the suspect, described the difficulties faced by the officers. The source, who has years of experience with the elite BORTAC team of border guards, said that after barricading the classroom, the situation became more difficult to resolve.
A source not authorized to speak to the media told Breitbart Texas that the barricade issue is the most difficult tactical situation to resolve. In this case, the source said, the shooter likely planned days or weeks in advance, possibly before purchasing the two AR-15s and the ammunition he brought to the schoolyard.
According to the source, officers trained in advanced tactical procedures arrived on the scene and spotted a Tier IV ballistic shield. This tool allows them to get close to the shot without being killed instantly. A member of the US Police Service purchased the required ballistic shield, which eventually allowed a rapidly formed task force to enter the building and reach the shooter at the barricade.
According to Breitbart Texas, even with a shield, one of the Border Patrol agents performing the shooting action saw a gunshot wound to the head. Law enforcement did not wait for personal protective equipment to take action.
The source confirmed that another border guard agent was also part of the impromptu task force and fired a weapon believed to have stopped the suspect.
“If the subject effectively kills the officer, they can get another gun, get fuller magazines, and law enforcement communications are immediately compromised, letting the suspect know what the next plan is to attack,” the source said.
Breitbart Texas spoke to a local law enforcement officer who said small-town police departments don’t have access to equipment due to funding issues. The officer said he was concerned by the false suggestion that officers at the scene were afraid to enter.
Speaking on condition of anonymity regarding the ongoing investigation, the officer told Breitbart Texas that an officer standing at the classroom window was inaccessible and eventually lost his son, who was in the room.
“Our officers have their own children in the building, one of them was killed,” the officer said. “We want to end it like everyone else. The idea that we’re going to stand up and let children die of their own accord is unacceptable to our authorities today, in days of mourning.
Most of the law enforcement in the area, including the Uvalde School Police, was working to the border, he said. Educational opportunities are costly and inaccessible due to the small budgets available to departments.
He said the community also lacks adequate mental health and treatment centers in the city. He hopes the hunt will spark controversy and cause significant changes to reduce the likelihood of a repeat of the tragedy.
“The whole community mourns the loss of these children and educators and we need time to heal,” he said. “Once this investigation is complete, we will be closer to finding answers on how we can improve security.”
Randy Clark 32-year-old US Border Patrol veteran. Before retiring, he served as Chief of Law Enforcement Operations, overseeing the operations of nine Border Patrol stations in the Del Rio Sector, Texas. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.
Source: Breitbart
