S5|E6 Uvalde School Shooting: The First 48 Hours at Robb Elementary | Katherine Schweit

Following our five-part crossover between Watching Two Detectives and Stop the Killing, we’re sharing a specially selected episode from the Stop the Killing archive.

On May 24, 2022, a gunman entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 children and two teachers and injuring 17 others.

This episode was recorded just two days after the Uvalde school shooting, while information was still emerging and before the full, deeply troubling picture of the police response became known.

Sarah Ferris is joined by Katherine Schweit, former head of the FBI’s Active Shooter Program, to examine what was understood in those first 48 hours.

They discuss the gunman’s movements before the attack, his social-media activity, warning behaviours, access to firearms, the early questions surrounding school security and the initial reports of a lengthy delay before officers entered the classroom.

Katherine also challenges some of the misinformation and conspiracy theories that appeared almost immediately after the shooting and explains how to identify reliable information during a rapidly unfolding investigation.

The conversation explores why blaming mass shootings solely on mental illness is both misleading and unsupported by research, the difference between mental illness and urgent emotional distress, and the importance of recognising concerning behaviour before violence occurs.

Because this episode captures the immediate aftermath, some early information discussed was later corrected or clarified. As official investigations progressed, Stop the Killing returned to Uvalde several times to examine the police response, command failures, active-shooter protocols and the legal questions surrounding accountability.

Uvalde, Texas — Robb Elementary School MassacreThe original episode recorded immediately after the shooting:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/stop-the-killing/id1585146489?i=1000564101644

Bonus 4: Uvalde UpdateKatherine examines the emerging timeline, the delay in confronting the shooter and the question of who was in command:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/stop-the-killing/id1585146489?i=1000567936043

The Uvalde Shooting — A Comprehensive AnalysisA detailed reconstruction based on the US Department of Justice Critical Incident Review, including the 77-minute delay and systemic failures in leadership, communication and command:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/stop-the-killing/id1585146489?i=1000746309846

Uvalde Trial Verdict: What the Decision Really MeansKatherine explains the legal outcome, what the verdict established and why criminal, civil and command accountability are not the same:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/stop-the-killing/id1585146489?i=1000746304659