- Texas authorities said police who arrived at Robb Elementary did not confront the shooter.
- The on-scene commander thought at the time that "there were no more children at risk."
- Police decided that they had enough time to wait for a tactical team to confront the gunman.
A Texas law enforcement official said police who arrived at Robb Elementary School didn't immediately confront the gunman because the commander thought the risk to school children was over.
"The on-scene commander at the time believed that it had transitioned from an active shooter to a barricaded subject," Director of Texas Department of Public Safety Steven McCraw said at a Friday press conference, adding that the commander "considered a barricaded subject and that there was time and there were no more children at risk."
McGraw added: "Obviously, based upon the information we have, there were children in that classroom that were at risk and it was, in fact, still an active shooter situation."
Police decided at the scene that they had enough time to wait for a tactical team to confront the gunman, McGraw said.
He said that, in hindsight, "of course it was not the right decision. It was the wrong decision. There is no excuse for that."
"When there's an active shooter, the rules change," McGraw said. "You don't have time."
While the 18-year-old gunman was barricaded in the classroom, he massacred 19 children and two adults — marking the deadliest shooting at an elementary school since Sandy Hook in 2012.
This story is developing. Please check back for updates.