CNN Reporter Snapped At By Testy Officials At Texas Flood Disaster Press Conference

CNN senior crime and justice correspondent Shimon Prokupecz was snapped at by officials at a press conference on the Texas flood disaster when he pressed for details on the early warning and storm monitoring system.

The tragic flash floods in Texas over the 4th of July weekend have claimed at least 108 lives, at least 27 of whom were attending summer camp at Camp Mystic. The aftermath of the disaster has included criticism of the Trump administration over cuts to weather-related agencies and questions about the state and local response that left many residents caught off guard.

Kerr County officials held a press conference on Tuesday morning — led by Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha, Texas Game Wardens Lt. Col Ben Baker, and Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. — to provide an update on the rescue and recovery efforts

Baker got testy when Prokupecz and CNN national correspondent Isabel Rosales pressed for details on who was responsible as the disaster unfolded, and eventually blew off Prokupecz as he tried to continue his questioning:

ISABEL ROSALES: What specific discussions and actions were taken between the time the first flood emergency alert came in at 1.14 a.m. And then when the river first started flooding those hours later. What were the specific actions and discussions that happened in those hours?

SHERIFF LARRY LEITHA: Can you repeat that again, please?

ISABEL ROSALES: I would like to know, if you could outline please, what the specific actions and discussions were that local officials took between 1 and 14 a.m., that’s when the first flood emergency alert came out, and hours later when the river first started flooding. What happened in those hours?

SHERIFF LARRY LEITHA: What I can tell you, when I was first notified, it was around the four to five area. One of my sergeants was in dispatch when the first calls started coming in, the actual 9-1-1 calls come in.

REPORTER: At four in the morning.

SHERIFF LARRY LEITHA: It was between four and five when I got notified. Okay, but prior to that, in that three to four area, my understanding is we’re in the process of trying to put a timeline. That’s gonna take a little bit of time. As I’ve told you several times, that is not my priority this time. There’s three priorities that’s locating the people out there, identify and notify the next of kin. That is what I’m taking as my job as sheriff here to do, okay? Okay.

MATT GUTMAN: In all due respect, sir, I think that the community here is asking these questions. What happened? When did it happen? Was the emergency manager awake? At the time, did they push the button to issue an emergency alert?

SHERIFF LARRY LEITHA: Sir, it’s not that easy when you just push a button, okay? There’s a lot more to that, and we’ve told you several times. (INUDIBLE) I can’t tell you at this time.

SHIMON PROKUPECZ: You can’t tell me if the emergency manager of the county actually issued an emergency alert.

REPORTER: Who runs the emergency operations center?

SHERIFF LARRY LEITHA: I’ll come back to you. I’m going nowhere.

REPORTER: Who runs the Emergency Operations Center?

SHERIFF LARRY LEITHA: We have a communication center, a dispatch, okay? We have communication center. That’s where the calls actually go to the police department, then they’re forwarded to us.

SHIMON PROKUPECZ: But leading up to this, in monitoring the weather, there is in any large city, in any state, there’s an Office of Emergency Management that is monitoring the whether, that is watching and listening and getting briefings.

Who was getting those briefings in this city, in this county? Who was receiving that information? And who would have ultimately made the decision to evacuate hearing what was coming in from the Weather Service–

SHERIFF LARRY LEITHA: Okay, what we would have done when we get notified. Okay, I’m gonna tell you.

REPORTER: You’re not emergency management though, right? The sheriff’s not EOC.

SHERIFF LARRY LEITHA: No, there is no…

LT. COL. BEN BAKER: So we understand you have many questions, hang on!

REPORTER: No, I understand, but you’re gonna go– they’re not going to answer the question because that’s up to the city manager and the mayor to answer those questions.

LT. COL. BEN BAKER: We understand you have many questions, we understand that. But right now, this team up here is focused on bringing people home.

SHIMON PROKUPECZ: We understand that too–.

That’s our focus. All those questions will be answered, but the priority right now is bringing people.

SHIMON PROKUPECZ: We totally understand that and we value the incredible work that’s being done by those first responders. We’re seeing them out there muddy and sweaty and grinding it out day after day. But your community is asking these questions.

LT. COL. BEN BAKER: And we will have we will get answers. Right now, all of our resources are focused to recovery.

SHIMON PROKUPECZ: Who is– who was in charge of the Emergency Operations Center at the time –.

LT. COL. BEN BAKER: Do we have another question?

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