Texas committee investigating shooting visits Robb Elementary school

Committee members are meeting with teachers and several CISD police officers.

June 17, 2022, 12:39 PM

Members of the Texas House committee investigating the Uvalde school shooting visited Robb Elementary School on Friday, according to the committee's chair.

The school's superintendent, Hall Harrell, arranged for the committee to go into the school, Rep. Dustin Burrows, the committee chair, said.

Last month, 19 students and two teachers were killed after a gunman walked in through an unlocked door and opened fire in the school. This was the deadliest shooting in Texas public school history.

Uvalde police have come under intense scrutiny as the narrative of what happened on the day of the shooting has shifted. It was later revealed that the shooter was in the school for 77 minutes before officers shot and killed him.

The three-person committee is meeting with teachers and several Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District police officers behind closed doors.

In public remarks, Burrows said he met with a family member of one of the victims and discussed why the sessions were happening behind closed doors.

"Before this committee is willing to announce what we believe is to be factual, accurate information, we want to hear from all sides and all different viewpoints and get together before the three of us put our signatures and names on something ... that is truthful and accurate,” Burrows said.

"I'm not telling you this is the perfect way to go about doing it, by any stretch of the imagination, but it's the way we know that we feel works and we believe in it," he added.

Before ending the committee's session on Friday, Burrows said witnesses from the Uvalde police department will testify before the committee on Monday.

"It took a little bit longer than we originally had expected but those conversations did develop through the day and so they are going to be cooperating," Burrows said.

A list of those testifying will be revealed on Monday, Burrows said.