DOJ to investigate Uvalde elementary school shooting police response

The Department of Justice on Sunday announced it will conduct an investigation into the police response to the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that left 21 dead, including 19 children, last week.

"At the request of Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin, the U.S. Department of Justice will conduct a Critical Incident Review of the law enforcement response to the mass shooting," the agency said in a press release.

The probe comes after it was revealed that the suspected gunman, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, was inside of the school for about 80 minutes before a Border Patrol agent entered the classroom and killed him. 

Texas Department of Public Safety Commissioner Steven McCraw said during a press conference Friday that law enforcement's delayed response was "the wrong decision. Period. There is no excuse for that."

Outrage also spread online last week after a parent said US Marshals arrested her for urging law enforcement to enter the school during the massacre.

The Justice Department said its goal of the assessment, which will be conducted with the Office of Community Oriented Policing, is "to provide an independent account of law enforcement actions and responses that day, and to identify lessons learned and best practices to help first responders prepare for and respond to active shooter events."

The agency stressed that the review "will be fair, transparent, and independent" and a report will be published after the investigation's conclusion.

Two days after the shooting, Texas Democrat Rep. Joaquin Castro wrote a letter during FBI Director Christopher Wray to investigate "conflicting accounts" of the incident from state officials.

The DOJ's announcement comes the same day Uvalde county commissioner Ronnie Garza said he would "welcome" and investigation into police response. 

"I think we need to learn more. As tragic as this may seem, we need to learn from this, and parents deserve answers," he said, according to The Hill.

The DOJ's announcement also coincides on Sunday with President Joe Biden's visit to Uvalde, Texas. He was met with boos and shouts of "Do something!" during his time in the small town.