UVALDE, Texas – A Texas Department of Public Safety captain reportedly ordered his officers not to enter Robb Elementary 70 minutes into the 77-minute shooting, according to CNN.
CNN’s report cites a new audio recording of Capt. Joel Betancourt from May 24.
The 15-year DPS veteran said he believed a more highly-skilled team was coming, CNN reports.
The audio from the police radio broadcast was captured on officers’ body-worn cameras. It was also noted in the memos written by several DPS officers just two days after the shooting.
He told investigators he arrived at Robb Elementary School around 12:45 p.m. — minutes before the gunman was confronted and killed, CNN reports.
“Hey, this is DPS Captain Betancourt. The team that’s going to make breach needs to stand by. The team that’s gonna breach needs to stand by,” Betancourt said to his team at 12:48 p.m. on May 24, CNN heard on the audio.
CNN reports Betancourt also told investigators he wasn’t sure what has happening first-hand inside Robb Elementary, and he wasn’t aware that a specialized Border Patrol tactical unit was confronting the gunman.
He said he thought a better unit was en route to the school, so he told the breach team to stand by, CNN reports. Betancourt said no one responded or followed his order.
Betancourt is reportedly still on active duty with DPS. He is also among seven DPS officers under investigation in connection with the Uvalde school shooting.
On Thursday, KSAT Investigates confirmed one of those officers used her leave time before resigning from DPS, only to join Uvalde CISD Police Department the next day.
The district was notified that Crimson Elizondo was under investigation before she was hired. Uvalde CISD fired Elizondo earlier this month.