TEXAS — Republican Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan on Friday announced the formation of a legislative committee to investigate the May 24 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde that claimed the lives of 19 children and two adults.

What You Need To Know

  • Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan on Friday morning announced the formation of a legislative committee to investigate the May 24 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas

  • The Texas House Committee on the Robb Elementary Shooting will investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting and will be led by former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman, state Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, and state Rep. Joe Moody, R-Lubbock

  • “The fact we still do not have an accurate picture of what exactly happened in Uvalde is an outrage,” Phelan wrote in a news release announcing the committee

  • State officials have said police waited for more than an hour outside the classroom where the gunman opened fire, despite repeated pleas from children calling 911 for help

The Texas Investigative Committee on the Robb Elementary Shooting will examine the circumstances surrounding the shooting. The investigation will be led by former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman, state Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, and state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock.

“They have the civil & criminal litigation experience needed to get it done. I know each of them to be diligent, thorough, and focused professionals whom I trust will do everything in their power to deliver facts and answers at a time when they are needed most,” Phelan wrote in a tweet.

Phelan additionally wrote that he has issued joint charges to the Select Committee on Youth Health and Safety and Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee.

“The fact we still do not have an accurate picture of what exactly happened in Uvalde is an outrage,” Phelan wrote in a news release. “Every day, we receive new information that conflicts with previous reports, making it not only difficult for authorities to figure out next steps, but for the grieving families of the victims to receive closure. I established this investigative committee for the dedicated purpose of gathering as much information and evidence as possible to help inform the House’s response to this tragedy and deliver desperately needed answers to the people of Uvalde and the State of Texas.”

The 18-year-old gunman was able to legally obtain two AR-15 rifles and body armor prior to the shooting. He made entry into the school via an unlocked door.

State officials have said police waited for more than an hour outside the classroom where the gunman opened fire, despite repeated pleas from children calling 911 for help. At one point there were as many as 19 officers in the hallway, Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

CORRECTION: The Texas House Investigative Committee had been previously identified as the Texas House Committee, and Rep. Moody had been named twice, instead of Rep. Burrows, who is now included. (June 3, 2022)