Sergeant Says Police Engaged Gunman Before He Entered Texas Elementary School – to No Avail
A sergeant with the Texas Department of Public Safety told CNN that the gunman who shot and killed 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, had been engaged by police prior to entering the building.
Sgt. Erick Estrada told Anderson Cooper that 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos was actually involved in two separate “incidents” on Tuesday:
I do want to state that there were two different incidents. The first incident was involving the suspect at their grandmother’s residence where he shot the grandmother and then the grandmother was airlifted [to a hospital].
And the second incident that came in, was actually involving–they called it an epic crash and man with a firearm outside the school premises. There was several law enforcement that engaged the suspect, but he was able to make entry into the school where he did go into several classrooms and unfortunately, he did fire his firearm inside the school premises.
But then he was met with another tactical law enforcement agency which ultimately were able to bring him down… Unfortunately, there is confirmation right now that there is 18 deceased children – or students – and there’s two deceased adults.
Later in the segment Cooper followed up, as it had not previously been reported that Ramos engaged with law enforcement before he entered the elementary school.
“Sergeant Estrada you mentioned – and because it’s a phone call, I’m not sure I heard it correctly – that prior to his entering the school, did you say that – it was your term – an epic crash?”
Estrada responded that this was indeed the case:
The suspect did crash near a ditch here nearby the school. That’s where he exited his vehicle with, I believe it was a rifle and that’s when he attempted to enter the school where he was engaged by law enforcement. And unfortunately he was able to enter the premises and then from there, that’s when he went on, entered several classrooms and started shooting his firearm.
Cooper asked if Ramos was being pursued by police at the time of the crash. Estrada replied, “No,” and stated no vehicle pursuits had been recorded in the department’s logs.
“You also said that the law enforcement engaged him prior to his entering the school,” Cooper stated. “Is it clear to you, were they aware he was trying to enter the school? Was he engaging with them after the crash and then he ran into the school? Again, I know it’s preliminary and you may not have that information.”
Estrada replied,
Right, so what got reported was a call of a man with a gun that had crashed nearby the Robb Elementary School. And then he was observed exiting the vehicle with a long rifle and a backpack. He also had a, he also had body armor with him. That’s whenever the, I believe [school district] police officers engaged him. Then, there was a second call where he entered through the south door of the Robb Elementary School. He entered and that’s when he started with his gunfire inside the premises.
Estrada explained that the school district police officers were officers already present before Ramos entered the school, but said he did not know how many were at the school.
Watch above via CNN.
