Families of students killed in the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas have reached a $2 million settlement with the city. They are also suing 92 Texas state police officers, almost two years after an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two teachers. This shooting received scrutiny due to the law enforcement response. Attorney Josh Koskoff stated that the families did not want to bankrupt the city with more legal action.
The city of Uvalde has agreed to implement new training and standards for police officers, dedicated May 24 as a day of remembrance, promised to fund a permanent memorial for the victims, and committed to maintaining the cemetery where the victims are buried. The families are now pursuing legal action against the 92 state officers involved. Forbes has reached out to the Texas Department of Public Safety for comment on this matter.
A federal report earlier this year identified “multiple failures” in the law enforcement response to the Uvalde shooting. The main failure was officers not treating the situation as an active shooter scenario. In December 2022, survivors and families of the victims filed a class-action lawsuit seeking $27 billion from various entities, including law enforcement agencies, the school district, and the city of Uvalde. Attorney Koskoff highlighted that 376 police officers responded to the shooter, but the situation was not handled effectively.
Police Chief Joshua Gutierrez of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District announced his resignation on Tuesday after only serving in the role for about a year. He took over from former Chief Pete Arredondo, who was fired following the shooting incident. The families of the victims are seeking justice and accountability through legal action against all parties involved, including the state police officers. The $2 million settlement with the city is seen as a small step towards closure for the affected families. The city has vowed to improve its law enforcement response and honor the memory of the victims.
