Authorities share Uvalde shooting timeline

Victor Escalon, South Texas regional director for the Department of Public Safety, said the first 911 call was placed at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday after suspect Salvador Ramos crashed a pickup truck near Robb Elementary School and fired his AR-style rifle at bystanders across the street. Escalon clarified that earlier reports saying a school resource officer engaged with Ramos were incorrect. The shooter climbed a fence and entered a door on the west side, shooting the entire time. Police are investigating whether the door was unlocked.

Why did it take so long? Escalon said police arrived approximately four minutes after the shooter entered, but a U.S. Border Patrol tactical team did not kill him until roughly an hour later. The shooter allegedly barricaded himself in two adjoining classrooms. During this time, Escalon said authorities helped other students and personnel escape. While waiting for backup, local police and the consolidated school district police tried to negotiate with the shooter, who responded with further shots to keep officers at bay. Investigators are still conducting interviews to figure out what happened in the room. Social media video showed distressed parents gathering at a cordoned-off area outside, screaming for police to run inside as they heard the gunshots. Texas Rangers are leading the investigation, along with several federal agencies.

Dig deeper: Track WORLD’s latest coverage of the tragedy in Uvalde.