The Texas Department of Safety regional director Victor Escalon sparred with a CNN reporter at a Thursday press conference over details surrounding the Robb Elementary School shooting.
CNN’s Crime and Justice correspondent Shimon Prokupecz questioned Escalon on reports that police were delayed in entering the school building after being alerted of the shooting and on how he barricaded himself in the fourth-grade classroom. The police official said he had heard the reports but cannot verify the information.
“What were the officers doing between 11:44 [a.m.] and 12:45? You guys have said that he was barricaded, can you explain to us how he was barricaded and why you guys could not breach that door?” Prokupecz said.
“So, I have taken all of your questions into consideration. We will be doing updates, we will be doing updates to answer those questions,” Escalon said.
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“You should be able to answer that question now, sir,” Prokupecz pressed. “Because we’ve been given a lot of bad information so why don’t you clear all of this up now and explain to us how it is that your officers that were in there for an hour, yes, rescuing people, but yet no one was able to get inside that room.” (RELATED: Texas School Shooter’s Mother Speaks Out About Her Son)
Escalon said the department will “circle back” with him on his questions after they receive additional information.
“Can you tell us how the door was barricaded?” the reporter asked again. Escalon then exited the conference.
Multiple reports revealed that the alleged gunman, Salvador Ramos, was inside the classroom for 30-60 minutes before officers confronted him. Witnesses reportedly begged officers to charge the school during the shooting. There are currently several inconsistencies over the timeline and events that took place during the incident, including if shots were fired when an armed officer attempted to stop Ramos.
Escalon told reporters at the conference that an armed officer did not confront Ramos before entering the building.