Inside the Uvalde Response (full documentary) | FRONTLINE + @ProPublica + @texastribune

The script opens with a chaotic scene where law enforcement officers rush to respond to an active shooter situation at a school in Uvalde, Texas. The narrative captures the confusion and urgency as officers hear gunfire and attempt to coordinate a response. Despite the immediate danger, there's a clear sense of duty as officers prioritize entering the building to confront the shooter.

This paragraph delves into the communication issues faced by the officers during the initial response. It highlights the lack of a unified command structure and the absence of effective communication tools, such as body cameras and radios, which hindered the officers' ability to coordinate their actions. The narrative also begins to reveal the missteps in the response, with officers reflecting on their inability to work together due to different protocols and the lack of a clear chain of command.

The focus shifts to the aftermath of the shooting and the subsequent investigation. The script describes how state and federal investigators conducted interviews with police and law enforcement officers to understand their actions during the incident. It also mentions the emotional impact on the officers, who had to grapple with the trauma of the event, despite being trained for such situations.

This paragraph examines the critical 77-minute delay before officers stormed the classroom where the gunman was located. It discusses the investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety and the anticipation of the findings being presented to a grand jury. The script also mentions the access gained by The Texas Tribune, ProPublica, and 'Frontline' to investigative materials, including body cam footage and recorded interviews, which provide firsthand accounts of the officers' experiences.

The script introduces the investigative work of journalists Lomi Kriel and her team, who have been analyzing the evidence and response to the shooting. It details the process of reviewing body camera footage, transcribing recordings, and conducting hundreds of hours of law enforcement interviews to piece together the events of that day. The paragraph emphasizes the rarity of such extensive information being available for a mass shooting case.

The paragraph presents the personal accounts of the law enforcement officers who responded to the shooting. It captures their fears, concerns, and regrets, as well as their candid discussions with investigators. The narrative also includes the initial praise of the officers' response, which was later criticized as the true nature of the events began to emerge.

This paragraph discusses the officers' arrival at the school and the confusion that ensued. It describes how the officers initially thought the shooter was not an active threat due to the lack of visible chaos or noise. The script also highlights the impact of the silence within the school, which led officers to mistakenly believe the area was empty, delaying their intervention.

The script addresses the miscommunication that occurred when officers mistakenly labeled the situation as a barricaded suspect rather than an active shooter threat. This led to a delayed response, as officers treated the situation as if the gunman was isolated and not an immediate threat to others in the school.

This paragraph reveals the critical moment when a 911 call from a teacher within the school highlights the ongoing threat. Despite this, the script indicates that the information was not effectively communicated to all officers on the scene, leading to a continued delay in response.

The officers discuss the lack of proper equipment, such as body armor and shields, which contributed to their hesitance to engage the shooter. The script also describes the arrival of tactical units and the efforts to evacuate students from nearby classrooms, while the main threat remained unaddressed.

The paragraph highlights the lack of a clear command post and the resulting chaos during the response. It emphasizes the absence of an incident commander to coordinate communication and develop a strategic plan. The script also touches on the challenges of inter-agency cooperation and the varying levels of active shooter training among the officers.

This paragraph details the officers' struggle to find a key to access the classrooms where the shooter was located. It describes the attempts to breach the doors and the eventual discovery of a master key. The script also reveals the communication gap between Chief Arredondo and the BORTAC commander, which hindered a cohesive response.

The script culminates in the moment when officers finally breach the classroom, leading to a confrontation with the shooter and his subsequent death. It also discloses the heartbreaking fact that the door to the classroom may have been unlocked all along, and reflects on the tragic loss of life, with 19 students and two teachers fatally shot.

The final paragraph discusses the aftermath of the shooting, including the increase in active shooter training for law enforcement in Texas and the repercussions faced by the officers involved. It includes the termination of Chief Pete Arredondo and the emotional turmoil experienced by the officers, who express regret and a desire to learn from the incident.

The script concludes with a poignant personal moment, where a Border Patrol agent, shortly after leaving the scene, calls his daughter's school, capturing the lasting impact of the tragedy on the officers involved and their families.