Feb 2024. Blues Vol 40 No. 2

commander in the district’s active-shooter
plan, had the “necessary authority, training
and tools” to lead the response but did not
provide “appropriate leadership, command
and control,” the report found. Arredondo
could not be reached for comment Thursday
through his attorney. He has previously
defended his actions and those of others
involved in the response.
Beyond that, no leader from any of the
other responding agencies “effectively
questioned the decisions and lack of urgency”
demonstrated by Arredondo and Uvalde
Police Department Acting Chief Mariano
Pargas, who both arrived at the school
within minutes of the first round of gunfire.
The report listed Uvalde County Sheriff
Ruben Nolasco, Uvalde County Constables
Emmanuel Zamora and Johnny Field, and
an unidentified Texas Ranger as examples
of such leaders.
“Responding officers here in Uvalde, who
also lost loved ones and who still bear the
emotional scars of that day, deserved the
kind of leadership and training that would
have prepared them to do the work that
was required,” Garland said.
The report also found that key officers,
including Pargas, had no active shooter
or incident command training despite,
in some instances, having decades of law
enforcement experience. Nolasco, the sheriff,
also had no active shooter training and
“minimal” incident command training.
Law enforcement training academies
must ensure that active shooter training
instructs officers on how to distinguish
between active threats and barricaded or
hostage situations, the report said. Officers
should be prepared to approach the threat
using the tools they have with them, which
are often standard firearms. They should
not wait for specialized equipment or tactical
teams if they know that people are
injured, the report stated.
The Tribune reported early last year that
some officers were afraid to confront the
gunman because he had an AR-15 rifle.
“No law enforcement agency or community
can assume that what happened here
— or in Newtown or in Parkland or in Columbine
The Blues -- February January ‘24 89