Uvalde Police Failed Miserably To Stop Ramos' Robb Elementary Shootings Even If Judged by Hindsight

 

Hindsight is almost always 20/20 and a Monday morning quarterback will call a winning play
In the Robb Elementary School shooting it now appears failed police work on display
The police were on scene after the shooting started in 3 minutes time
But instead of heading to the sound of guns from the lessons learned at Columbine
They waited in the hall for 70 minutes while Ramos was killing the kids
Armed with rifles and a ballistic shield  and barred by a closed door not locked
Would have been a simple matter to burst through the door and further killings blocked
While children under desks were calling 911 begging for police to come
But the police chief without a radio did not think he was in charge on learning this we are benumbed
Words cannot describe the terror those kids must have incurred
Their whispered 911 pleas not acted on, their impending death insured

What makes this tragedy such a condemnation of the police reaction
Was that 2 months earlier they had training on shooters and need for aggressive action
Taught in no uncertain terms that you had to put your life in harm’s way
Concerns for your own safety could not your aggressive actions delay
In an era where cops are vilified, despised and ambushed on sight
Hard to castigate and find blame even though what they did was not right
More training to not only kill citizens who are not armed
But also on how to stop shooters who want us to mortally harm
© 6/21/2022 The Alaskanpoet