A state district judge has ruled the Texas Department of Public Safety doesn’t have to release records regarding the Robb Elementary School massacre for now.
The denied request came from state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde. Texas Tribune political reporter James Barragán says Sen. Gutierrez “wanted records pertaining to the investigation; what happened during the shooting as it pertains to DPS.”
After denying his initial request the matter was taken to court; there, Barragán says Gutierrez “lost on Wednesday because the state judge said – very narrowly – that he hadn’t filed the records requests in the appropriate manner.”
“That doesn’t mean the records are not going to eventually be released someday,” Barragán says, but Gutierrez will have to make his request again. “And it’s got to be noted too,” Barragán adds, “that there’s news agencies, including the Texas Tribune, who have filed [requests for ] those records – and there has been no decision on whether the judges will release those to the news organizations.”
For more from our weekly recap of the week in Texas politics, including calls for a special session over Texas’ flailing juvenile justice system, and criticism of Gov. Greg Abbott’s migrant bussing plan, listen to the audio above.