HOUSTON – A coalition of more than a dozen national, state, and local media organizations, including KPRC 2 and our station’s parent company Graham Media Group, filed a lawsuit Monday against the Texas Department of Public Safety related to the Uvalde school shooting and the agency’s lack of transparency.
KPRC 2 and other news outlets have filed requests for records from several agencies, including Texas DPS, under the Texas Public Information Act, including emails, body and dash camera video, call logs, and personnel records for those who responded to Robb Elementary on May 24.
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DPS has selectively released some of the requested information, in part during Texas Senate committee hearings. Texas DPS; however, has refused to release records to news outlets citing an “ongoing investigation” despite there being no question of the deceased gunman’s guilt.
DPS has said next to nothing about the actions of 91 of its officers who responded to the shooting on the day 19 students and two teachers were killed.
“The Texas Department of Public Safety has offered inconsistent accounts of how law enforcement responded to the Uvalde tragedy, and its lack of transparency has stirred suspicion and frustration in a community that is still struggling with grief and shock,” said Laura Lee Prather, a First Amendment lawyer at Haynes Boone who represents the plaintiffs. “DPS has refused numerous requests by these news organizations even though it’s clear under Texas law that the public is entitled to have access to these important public records. We ask that the court grant our petition so that the people of Texas can understand the truth about what happened.”
The lawsuit is focused on getting those answers. KPRC 2 will report the status of of the coalition’s lawsuit as it moves forward. You can read more in the news release and court filing below.