CNN Reporter Challenges Texas Public Safety Director: ‘Where Is the Police Chief?’

CNN crime and justice correspondent Shimon Prokupecz challenged the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety on Friday and asked where is the chief of the Uvalde Police Department and why he wasn’t at Friday’s press conference.

At the press conference Steven McCraw gave an updated timeline of Tuesday’s mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where Salvador Ramos shot and killed 19 students and two adults. It was the third-deadliest school shooting in U.S. history, behind the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting and 2012 Sandy Hook shooting.

“Where is the police chief and why isn’t he here to take our questions?” asked Prokupecz.

“Well, because I’m here to address the latest timeline and facts that we know,” replied McCraw. “You’re certainly welcome to reach out to them.”

Also during the press conference, McCraw said that the responding officers did not immediately enter the classroom where Ramos was since the “on-scene commander” believed it was a barricaded situation and not an active shooting and therefore “there were no more children at risk.”

McCraw said it was the wrong move.

“From the benefit of hindsight, it was not the right decision,” he said. “It was the wrong decision.”

When asked if law enforcement would apologize to the victims’ families, McCraw declined.

“If I thought it would help, I would apologize,” he said.

Watch above, via CNN.

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