UVALDE, Texas — An investigation into the law enforcement response during the Uvalde school shooting is something families have been wanting for months.
And finally, at the end of the first day of school for Uvalde CISD, parents got their wish.
Five Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers have now been referred to the state Inspector General's Office for a formal investigation into their actions during the Uvalde school shooting on May 24.
"It's long overdue," said Jessie Rizo, the uncle of Jackie Cazares, who was one of the 21 victims who died in the shooting."You gave him more time to live than what you gave the children. That is what bothers me the most."
According to DPS, in July they formed an internal committee to review the department’s response to the massacre. That committee referred the five officers over for a formal investigation.
"I sit there and I think about the children as they are slowly seeing each other and they pass away," Rizo said.
But the inaction of the officers is not just affecting those who have died but also many kids in the community.
"He is scared of the police," said Tina Ann Quintanilla Taylor, whose daughter went to Robb Elementary.
Taylor's kids decided not to attend school because they just don’t feel safe.
"When he sees an officer he gets underneath my armpit and he hides behind me and starts shaking. You can feel his little body tremble," she said.
All these families want now is justice.
"They just didn’t do their job. It requires termination. Nothing less than that," said Rizo.
But not just for those five DPS officers.
"We need to focus on any agency in that hallway that was negligent," Rizo said.
Two of those officers have been put on paid administrative leave pending the investigation. The other three remain on duty.
The Inspector General's Office will help determine if there were any policy or training violations, and what disciplinary actions those officers should face if any.
There is no immediate timeline for this investigation.