The first arriving cops were said to have waited for a “tactical team,” which sounded so cartoonish that most people ignored it. That is, according to eye-witnesses who spoke with the Associated Press, what happened. There is also footage that shed further light on the terrible incident.
Please note that I’m not implying that the individuals cited in the following account are not mistaken. But if they are, law enforcement should come out and clarify it plainly. This is not a question that should be left unresolved.
Cops stood outside the school while the killer rampaged inside.
Onlookers yelled at them to go in. They didn’t. One parent urged bystanders:
“Let’s just rush in because the cops aren’t doing anything like they are supposed to.” @AP story: https://t.co/l2CqPCzmAf
— Andy Specht (@AndySpecht) May 26, 2022
If the police really took 40 minutes to arrive at the school, that’s inexcusable. Whoever made that call should be fired on the spot, along with every officer who followed it. I understand it’s a difficult job. I realize that making money isn’t easy. But law enforcement has a duty to serve and protect citizens.
At some point, you must attempt to play hero ball and see what happens. I understand that this might have resulted in the death of an officer, but you can’t allow a gunman to enter a school and kill 21 people before barricading himself inside a classroom. There’s no excuse for it. No amount of procedure or risk justifies standing outside and delaying parents who are begging the cops to go indoors and do something.
I’ve got no words to express how devastating it is for parents who have lost children in this horrible tragedy to learn that there was a time when nothing was done. It’s impossible to think about losing a child, but having a son or daughter murdered is far worse.
People are arguing about useless background checks while there should be a genuine discussion about what occurred with law enforcement. This cannot be covered up and left to pass with a simple shrug. If the narrative is confirmed further and officers did in fact stand around waiting for a stupid Tactical Team, not confronting the gunman, heads must roll.
