One mother of Robb Elementary School students reportedly rescued her children while law enforcement stood outside the building under siege. Salvador Ramos, 18, reportedly fired shots outside the school for 12 minutes before entering unopposed and then barricaded himself in a classroom where he killed 19 students and two teachers.
According to a Thursday Wall Street Journal report, Angeli Gomez drove 40 miles to get her children — a second grader and a third grader — at the elementary school. She was frantic after hearing reports of an active shooter at the school where her children received instruction.
Law enforcement reportedly had not entered the school by the time Gomez arrived on school grounds. The report noted Gomez said she implored police to do something, one of many parents pleading similarly.
Gomez said she was “one of numerous parents who began encouraging — first politely, and then with more urgency — police and other law enforcement to enter the school sooner.” U.S. Marshals reportedly handcuffed her after a few minutes, informing Gomez she was being arrested for intervening in an active investigation.
The distraught mother reportedly convinced officers with the Uvalde force to persuade the marshals to release her. She moved away from the crowd after her release, jumped the school fence and ran inside to grab her two children. She sprinted out of the school with the children, according to the report. The report also noted the Marshals Service denied their deputies handcuffed anyone.
“Our deputy marshals maintained order and peace in the midst of the grief-stricken community that was gathering around the school,” a spokesman for the Marshals said.
Victor Escalon, regional director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, said police inside the school were evacuating students and staff while they called for backup.
“There’s a lot going on,” Escalon said.
Parents were apparently not made aware of any rescue efforts and official logs show almost one hour elapsed between the time police were notified and the gunman was killed. Gizmodo writer Matt Novak posted a video of anguished parents being held back by numerous Kevlar-clad officers outside the school. His video has been viewed 10.3 million times.
“This video make so much more sense now,” remarked Novak in his caption. “The cops literally stopped parents from helping their kids.”
Except for Angeli Gomez.
Source: Westernjournal
