Quote:
Originally Posted by opendoor
Didn't they get into the classroom just by having someone with a key unlock the door? It took 40 minutes to find a staff member? What does it matter how big and heavy the door is when it can be opened by anyone with a key?
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With that username I'll defer to your expertise
As you noted, there is a lot of contradictory information at this point with most recently the engagement that reportedly occurred after the accident but before him entering the school is now being reported as wrong information.
So the first responding cops show up four minutes after he entered the school unobstructed. They exchange some fire, some get hit. The shooter enters a classroom, barricades (or maybe just locks) the door. Given the chaos, I think it could take some time tracking down and retrieving the keys. Especially if the keys were in the custodial breakroom or something and they don't want to nillywilly walk through the hallways.
But even if they got the keys, somehow knew that would open it for them, what's the plan? Open the door and get shot? Shoot indiscriminately into a classroom of children?
They've entered into the reported 30 minutes "lull" where there wasn't gunfire. Reasonable to conclude the shooter has one of two intentions. He believes he has killed all the children he could and that's why he stopped and is now waiting for his last stand against the police or he has stopped killing the children (perhaps as hostages) and the police don't want to escalate it back to that point.
I think waiting for SWAT and the negotiators who are more trained, have the proper equipment, to deal with this situation was reasonable. Yes, the delay may have prevented some victims from getting timely medical aid, but bursting into a room full of children to engage in a firefight doesn't seem like a great "plan" to prevent further carnage. All it takes is one human shield to be caught in the cross-fire and everyone blaming the police for not acting quickly would be blaming them for going in guns blazing. I would be at least.
Incidentally, and extremely sadly, the interview with one of the survivors said that when the police burst open the door is when another child, who had been playing dead/hiding, was shot.