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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Friday he’s “livid” that law enforcement “misled” him about their response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. 

“I was misled,” Abbott said at a press conference announcing various state resources for victims of the mass shooting Tuesday. “I am livid about what happened.”

Abbott — who earlier this week praised police for their “quick response” to the mass shooting — was grilled on whether he knew about cops deciding to not breach the door to the classroom where gunman Salvador Ramos killed 19 students and two teachers. 

It took cops about an hour to get inside the classroom — and only after they got a key from a janitor to unlock the door, authorities said. 


  Texas Gov. Greg Abbott holds a news conference with state agencies and local officials as the police response to Tuesday’s mass shooting is under increasing scrutiny Friday. (Kevin C. Downs for The New York Texas Gov. Greg Abbott holds a news conference with state agencies and local officials as the police response to Tuesday’s mass shooting is under increasing scrutiny Friday. (Kevin C. Downs for The New York

Abbott said information police initially gave him about the response time was inaccurate, leading him to release flawed details to the public on Wednesday.

“I was on this very stage two days ago, and I was telling the public information that had been told to me [by law enforcement]” he said. “As everybody has learned, the information I was given turned out in part to be inaccurate. I was absolutely livid about that.”

He added, “There are people who deserve answers the most, and those are the families whose lives have been destroyed. They need answers that are accurate. It is inexcusable that they may have suffered from any inaccurate information whatsoever.”


  Law enforcement and other first responders gather outside Robb Elementary after the shooting on May 24, 2022. AP Law enforcement and other first responders gather outside Robb Elementary after the shooting on May 24, 2022. AP

  Abbott’s comments came hours after Texas police admitted that they made the “wrong decision” by waiting outside a classroom where 19 students and two teachers were killed. (Kevin C. Downs for The New York Abbott’s comments came hours after Texas police admitted that they made the “wrong decision” by waiting outside a classroom where 19 students and two teachers were killed. (Kevin C. Downs for The New York

Abbott was later interrupted by Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who called him out for failing to tighten assault rifle restrictions and raise the age limit for gun buyers.

“You have to do something, man,”  Gutierrez urged. “Your own colleagues are calling me and telling me an 18-year-old shouldn’t have a gun. This is enough, man.”

“My colleagues are asking for a special session, you’re getting a letter tomorrow.

“We have asked for gun-control changes,” Gutierrez said.


  Democratic state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, called Abbott out during his press conference on Friday. REUTERS Democratic state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, called Abbott out during his press conference on Friday. REUTERS

Abbott’s comments came hours after Texas police admitted at a press conference that they made the “wrong decision” by waiting outside a classroom where 19 students and two teachers were killed.

Steven McCraw, director of the state’s Department of Public Safety, said “there’s no excuse” for law enforcement failing to intervene while Ramos wreaked havoc.


  Gov. Abbott said he was “misled” about police response to Tuesday’s mass shooting at Robb Elementary. REUTERS Gov. Abbott said he was “misled” about police response to Tuesday’s mass shooting at Robb Elementary. REUTERS

  “The families whose lives have been destroyed need answers,” Abbott said Friday. ZUMA24.com “The families whose lives have been destroyed need answers,” Abbott said Friday. ZUMA24.com

Police had been ordered to wait for backup and equipment — but by the time a specialized team of federal officers arrived, Ramos had been at the school for more than an hour, McCraw said.

“Of course it was not the right decision,” McCraw said. “It was the wrong decision.”

On Wednesday, a day after the massacre, Abbott, 64, praised law enforcement for their “quick response” and preventing a worse tragedy.

“The reality is, as horrible as what happened, it could have been worse. The reason it was not worse is because law enforcement officials did what they do,” Abbott said at the time.

The latest from the Texas school shooting

“The reason it was not worse is because law enforcement officials did what they do. They showed amazing courage by running toward gunfire for the singular purpose of trying to save lives,” he added.

“And it is a fact that because of their quick response, getting on the scene of being able to respond to the gunman and eliminating the gunman, they were able to save lives,” Abbott said. 

Gunman Salvador Ramos, 18, fatally shot 19 students and two teachers. salv8dor_/Instagram
Ramos posted photos of his weapons on social media before his deadly rampage. salv8dor_/Instagram

Abbott had been scheduled to give a speech at the National Rifle Association’s annual convention Friday but instead opted to send a pre-recorded video of his speech.

Ramos shot his grandmother in the face before unleashing the bloodbath at Robb Elementary School  in Uvalde on Tuesday.

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