Texas Police Spox Claims Uvalde Shooter Was NOT Confronted by Armed Security Guard in Contentious Presser

Police officials held a press conference in Uvalde on Thursday to address the fallout from the Reed Elementary School shooting, during which, they contradicted reports that an armed officer engaged the perpetrator outside the school.

As the nation grapples with the shooting that left 19 children and 2 adults dead, numerous questions have arisen about the police’s response to the massacre, and whether they failed to stop it as quickly as they could have. Victor Escalon, the regional director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, conducted the police’s latest update on the shooting, and he distinctively contradicted what officials previously told the media about what happened before the shooter entered the school.

“It was reported that a school district police officer confronted the suspect that was making entry,” Escalon said. “Not accurate. He walked in unobstructed, initially. So, from the grandmother’s house to the bar ditch, to the school, into the school, he was not confronted by anybody.”

From there, Escalon was peppered with questions on why the door was unlocked in the middle of the day. He stressed that the investigation remains ongoing, and eventually, a reporter asked Escalon to emphatically clarify whether or not there was a security guard who confronted the shooter.

“Was there a school officer on campus, and was that school officer armed?” The reporter asked. “Because that’s what we’ve been told.”

“So, at this time, no,” Escalon answered. “There was not an officer readily available, armed. No…Nothing. I can’t answer that yet. I’ll circle back with you.”

Watch above, via CNN.