On Wednesday, the families of 19 victims of the Uvalde elementary school shooting in Texas filed a $500 million federal lawsuit against nearly 100 state police officers for their alleged mishandling of the response to one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history.
The families also announced a $2 million settlement with the city of Uvalde.
This settlement includes commitments from city leaders to implement higher standards and better training for local police.
The lawsuit and settlement announcement come just days before the second anniversary of the tragic event, where 19 fourth-graders and two teachers were killed on May 24, 2022, by a teenage gunman at Robb Elementary School.
Seeking at least $500 million in damages, this lawsuit is one of several efforts to hold law enforcement accountable for their actions during the incident.
Despite the presence of more than 370 federal, state, and local officers at the scene, it took over 70 minutes for them to confront the shooter.
This is the first lawsuit filed after the release of a comprehensive 600-page report by the Justice Department in January, which detailed “cascading failures” in training, communication, leadership, and technology on the day of the shooting.
The lawsuit emphasizes that state troopers did not adhere to their active shooter training and failed to confront the shooter, while students and teachers were following lockdown protocols by turning off lights, locking doors, and staying silent.
The families and their attorneys highlighted that these protocols left teachers and students entirely dependent on law enforcement’s timely and effective response.
During the incident, terrified students called 911, and parents pleaded with officers—some of whom could hear shots being fired from the hallway—to intervene. Eventually, a tactical team entered the classroom and neutralized the shooter.
“Law enforcement’s inaction that day was a complete and absolute betrayal of these families and the sons, daughters, and mothers they lost,” said Erin Rogiers, one of the attorneys representing the families. “TXDPS had the resources, training, and firepower to respond appropriately, and they ignored all of it and failed on every level. These families have not only the right but also the responsibility to demand justice.”
A criminal investigation into the police response is ongoing, led by Uvalde District Attorney Christina Mitchell’s office. A grand jury has been convened, with some law enforcement officials already called to testify.
The lawsuit names 92 officials from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) as defendants, including two troopers who were fired, another who resigned, and several others who were investigated by the agency.
Among the highest-ranking officials named is South Texas Regional Director Victor Escalon. The DPS has declined to comment on the pending litigation.
The plaintiffs in this lawsuit are the families of 17 children who were killed and two who were wounded. This is separate from another lawsuit filed in December 2022, which seeks $27 billion and class-action status for survivors, targeting local and state police, the city, and other school and law enforcement entities.
Additional lawsuits have been filed against Daniel Defense, the manufacturer of the AR-style rifle used by the shooter.
The families explained that the $2 million settlement with the city was capped to avoid bankrupting the community they still reside in. The settlement funds will come from the city’s insurance coverage.
“The last thing they want to do was inflict financial hardship on their friends and neighbors in this community. Their friends and neighbors didn’t let them down,” said attorney Josh Koskoff at a news conference in Uvalde.
The city of Uvalde expressed hope that the settlement would foster “healing and restoration” within the community.
“We will forever be grateful to the victims’ families for working with us over the past year to cultivate an environment of community-wide healing that honors the lives and memories of those we tragically lost. May 24th is our community’s greatest tragedy,” the city stated.
Despite the settlement, Javier Cazares, father of slain 9-year-old Jackie Cazares, said the ongoing need for justice and accountability.
“No amount of money is worth the lives of our children. Justice and accountability has always been my main concern,” he said.
Under the settlement, the city agreed to implement new “fitness for duty” standards, enhance training for Uvalde police officers, establish May 24 as an annual day of remembrance, create a permanent memorial in the city plaza, and provide mental health services for the families and the broader Uvalde area.
The police response to the mass shooting has faced significant criticism and scrutiny.
Reports from the Justice Department and others have outlined numerous failures, particularly in training and leadership, contributing to the tragic outcome.
“For two long years, we have languished in pain and without any accountability from the law enforcement agencies and officers who allowed our families to be destroyed that day,” said Veronica Luevanos, whose daughter Jailah and nephew Jayce were killed. “This settlement reflects a first good faith effort, particularly by the City of Uvalde, to begin rebuilding trust in the systems that failed to protect us.”
Story culled from AP report
