A doctor in Texas is now working with the state police to see if any of the 21 victims of the Uvalde shooting would have lived if they received medical attention sooner.
Texas Rangers are currently investigating the hesitant police response as a criminal matter. The review of autopsies and related records are part of the investigation, according to Dr. Mark Escott. Escott is the city of Austin’s chief medical officer, according to My Twin Tiers.
It was over 70 minutes before police finally confronted the gunman in the fourth grade classroom. Months later, the families started asking questions about whether their loved ones could have lived if police did not wait so long to enter the classroom.
The Texas Department of Public Safety will complete the review. Escott believes they will uncover lessons learned that will need to be applied to policies around the country. How much the findings will impact the criminal investigation is unclear.
The review may take between three and six months. The hope is that the results will be revealed to the public quickly. There are four other physicians who are working with the review, some of which are EMS and trauma specialists.
Autopsy reports and medical records from the hospitals and medical staff that treated victims are being reviewed. One of the biggest questions being asked is whether or not victims could have survived if they received first response help within ten minutes and were at the trauma center within an hour of being shot.
Col. Steve McCraw, Texas’ state police chief, said the investigation would be finished by the end of the year before being given to prosecutors.
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