Grief-stricken families in Texas are now seeking financial justice for children affected by the 2022 Uvalde school shooting. Families of 19 victims have joined together in a federal lawsuit seeking $500 million and announced this lawsuit on Wednesday (May 22).
17 families lost children, while the remaining two families had injured children.
RELATED: The Texas Department of Public Safety shares a detailed timeline of the Uvalde school shooting
Ninety-two Texas Department of Public Safety officers and troopers are being sued. The document cites law enforcement’s botched response to “one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history.” Related press.
The lawsuit documents also list the Uvalde School District, former Robb Elementary School Principal Mandy Gutierrez and former Uvalde School Police Chief Peter Arredondo as defendants.
Details of the Uvalde school shooting lawsuit
The announcement of the Uvalde lawsuit came two days before the second anniversary of the massacre. Salvador RamosThe then 18-year-old opened fire inside a Robb Elementary School classroom on May 24, 2022. He ultimately killed 19 fourth-grade students and two teachers after fatally shooting his grandmother at her house.
The lawsuit notes that state troopers failed to follow their active shooter training or confront the shooter. Meanwhile, students and teachers inside are following their own lockdown procedures of turning off lights, locking doors and remaining quiet.
“The protocols trap teachers and students inside, leaving them completely dependent on law enforcement to respond quickly and effectively,” their family and attorney said in a statement. .
Panic-stricken students in classrooms called 911 while heartbroken parents begged police — some of whom could hear gunshots as they stood in the hallway — to come inside.
More than 370 federal, state and local officers responded to the scene, but they had to wait more than 70 minutes before confronting the shooter. A tactical team killed Ramos 77 minutes after police first arrived on the scene.
The lawsuit follows a lengthy DOJ investigation into the police response
The families said they also agreed to a $2 million settlement with the city, in which city leaders promised higher standards and better training for local police. They limited their payout to $2 million because they didn’t want to bankrupt the city where they still lived. The city will pay the settlement using insurance.
The lawsuit described above is the latest of several lawsuits seeking accountability for the law enforcement response.
This is also the first application after Analysis of 600 pages of the Department of Justice of the incident. The DOJ released its report in January of this year. It details “repeated failures” in training, communication, leadership and technology issues that day.
A separate lawsuit was filed by various plaintiffs in December 2022 against local and state police, cities, and schools and other law enforcement agencies seeking at least $27 billion and the state of collective action for survivors. At least two other lawsuits filed a lawsuit against Georgia-based gun manufacturer Daniel Defense, which makes the AR-style rifle used by Ramos.
Meanwhile, a criminal investigation into the police response by Uvalde County District Attorney Christina Mitchell’s office is underway. ONE The grand jury was convened this yearand several law enforcement officials were called to testify.
Associated Press staff members Acacia Coronado and Jim Vertuno contributed to this report.
