AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas physician mentioned Thursday he’s working with state police to find out whether or not any of the 21 folks killed within the Uvalde faculty capturing might have been saved had medical assist arrived sooner.
The assessment of autopsies and different information is a part of a felony investigation by Texas Rangers into the hesitant police response at Robb Elementary College in Might, mentioned Dr. Mark Escott, who serves as town of Austin’s chief medical officer.
Police waited greater than 70 minutes earlier than confronting the gunman inside a fourth-grade classroom. 5 months after the capturing, many households nonetheless query whether or not any of the 19 kids and two lecturers killed might have been saved had practically 400 legislation enforcement officers on the scene acted sooner.
Extra on the fallout from the Uvalde police response
Escott mentioned he requested the Texas Division of Public Security to do the assessment, which he described as according to steps taken following different mass shootings within the U.S.
“We count on that we are going to discover some classes discovered that may be utilized to coverage across the nation,” Escott mentioned.
The assessment was first reported by the Austin American-Statesman.
It was not clear how a lot the findings will impression the state’s felony investigation. The Texas Division of Public Security didn’t instantly return a message in search of remark Thursday.
Escott mentioned the assessment might take between three and 6 months and expressed hope that the outcomes will rapidly be made public. 4 different physicians who’re EMS and trauma specialists, together with different skilled advisors, may also assist in the assessment, Escott mentioned.
He mentioned the assessment will have a look at post-mortem reviews and medical information from hospitals and paramedics who handled the victims. Among the many questions, Escott mentioned, is whether or not victims might have survived if they’d acquired first-response assist inside 10 minutes and arrived at a trauma middle inside an hour.
“The problem we’ve in Uvalde is it’s a small neighborhood and there are restricted EMS assets and the closest degree 1 or degree 2 trauma middle is 90 minutes away,” he mentioned.
Final week, Col. Steve McCraw, Texas’ state police chief, mentioned the felony investigation into the police response to the capturing led by Texas Rangers can be wrapped up by the tip of the yr and turned over to prosecutors. He didn’t point out whether or not fees can be really useful towards any officers.
McCraw advised households of the youngsters killed within the capturing that the Texas Division of Public Security “didn’t fail” Uvalde through the response amid escalating scrutiny over the division’s actions. One state trooper has been fired and a number of other others have been positioned below inside investigation.
