Unlocked doors were ‘first line of defense’ at Uvalde school

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH
Associated Press

The Uvalde massacre began after the 18-year-old gunman entered the school through a door that could only be locked from the outside and then got inside a classroom that had a busted lock. That’s according to experts who testified Tuesday before the Texas state Senate. Securing doors has long been a focus of school safety drills, and experts said the inability to do so during the May 24 attack that left 19 children and two teachers dead is raising alarms among experts and politicians. State Sen. Paul Bettencourt said unlockable doors make lockdowns and shooter training worthless, adding that there was “zero obstacle to the shooter.”