UVALDE COUNTY, Texas — Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin is accusing Uvalde County District Attorney Christina Mitchell of blocking the city's investigation into the mass shooting at Robb Elementary that resulted in the deaths of 19 students and two teachers.
In an open letter, the mayor accuses Mitchell of being involved in a "cover-up" regarding the investigation into the events of May 24, 2022. It took law enforcement over an hour to breach the classroom from the moments a gunman entered and began shooting. The botched law enforcement response continues to be investigated by several agencies, and some police personnel in Uvalde no longer hold the positions they did on the day of the shooting.
The city took the step of hiring a third party to look into the Uvalde Police Department's actions just two months after the shooting. But, the mayor, says Mitchell has blocked the investigator throughout, saying "D.A. Mitchell has refused to provide the city with all the information Mr. Prado has requested, resulting in the City filing suit against her in her official capacity to obtain the necessary information for Mr. Prado to complete the City's administrative investigation."
That first lawsuit was dismissed when Mitchell promised to cooperate with the city. But the mayor said she failed to do so, and the city has now filed a second lawsuit.
The mayor also said it is his belief she is blocking the investigation due to her office's connection with the law enforcement response, saying: "We believe she is doing so, because her Chief Investigator, Shayne Gilland, was onsite on May 24 at Robb School and this taints her entire inquiry into any possible criminal conduct by law enforcement."
Uvalde families told KENS 5 they can't heal without the truth.
“It’s been 15 months," said Brett Cross. "And what has anybody done about anything? Our children did not deserve what they went through, and we don’t deserve to be put through this.”
Cross's son, Uziyah Garcia, was killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting. So was Jesse Rizo's niece, Jackie Cazares.
“[These parents] know that they dropped [their kids] off in the morning," said Rizo. "They know what they had for breakfast, but then they have the missing pieces to the puzzle. What happened?”
McLaughlin concluded his letter by calling on Mitchell to resign. Rizo and Cross agree with the mayor.
“It has just been failure after failure," said Cross. "We still see those same officers who sat outside that school wherever we go. We see them at the grocery store, we see them at the convenience store. The same officers who stood by and did nothing. So, for this district attorney to hold onto all of this [evidence] knowing full well what we have been asking and begging for for well over a year, it's cruel. Everybody just wants us to move on and forget about it, and that’s not going to happen."
"My message for the district attorney is: Do what is right," said Rizo. "There has been enough pain and suffering. Remove yourself from the situation. Step aside with some kind of dignity. And to the locals who say, 'Move on, what else do you want? The families have money, what more do they need?' Those comments are hurtful. The reason we won't go away is too much is at stake."
>Read the full letter from McLaughlin below: