AUSTIN, Texas — Families of Robb Elementary shooting victims on Thursday called for Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw to step down, calling out his agency's mishandling of the law enforcement response on May 24 and ensuing investigation.
McCraw was testifying at a Public Safety Commission meeting, where several relatives from Uvalde also spoke.
During his speech, McCraw addressed the families' concerns on the investigation and confirmed every one of the officers involved on the day of the shooting is being evaluated. DPS has been criticized for their response to the shooting in which 91 of their officers responded.
McCraw assured relatives that "DPS, as an institution, did not fail the community," a sentiment which received blowback from some of Uvalde's most outspoken residents.
Those include Brett Cross, whose relative Uziyah Garcia was among the 21 people killed at Robb.
"There was culpability. If you're a man of your word, then you would retire," Cross said, referring to McCraw's promise that if DPS failed the city, he would leave his position. "But unfortunately it doesn't seem like you're going to do that, because you keep talking in circles and doing all that mess and everything. Your anger is not going to outmatch mine."
Seven of the 91 DPS agents who responded to Robb are currently under investigation. Recently, we learned a DPS sergeant was fired.
McCraw said the Texas Rangers' investigation would be completed by the end of the year.
After the meeting, State Sen. Roland Gutierrez said, "There needs to be a thorough investigation by some independent body and clearly we cannot expect the Texas Rangers to investigate themselves."
This is a developing situation and further updates will be added as they are received.
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