Well-known Texas attorney representing families of mass shooting victims

UVALDE, Texas (WOAI/KABB) – Well-known attorney Thomas J. Henry is representing the families of four Texas elementary students wounded in last month’s mass shooting. The lawsuit is against the estate of the gunman but will likely expand to include others.

Henry said his firm will be investigating any potential failures by the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School district, law enforcement, gun manufacturers and anyone who learned the shooter's intentions online but did not report him.

"Obviously, the law enforcement lack of response," said Henry when asked about what potential failures he would be focusing on.

Law enforcement officers have immunity from being sued over their actions on the job, but Henry said he believes the law allows him to hold officials accountable.

It's not just grief the community is struggling with; there's also enormous frustration over the lack of clear answers as to what happened on May 24 at Robb Elementary in Uvalde. The loudest question is still why it took well over an hour for law enforcement to confront 18-year-old Salvador Ramos.

In another shift, investigators now say the door the shooter used to enter the school was closed but not locked. Earlier, they said the door had been propped open by a teacher but have since determined that the teacher removed the rock used to prop open the door and closed it when the suspect crashed his truck on campus.

Gun makers are likewise protected from most lawsuits. However, Henry said he'll be looking at how tech companies and advertisers may have marketed items to Salvador Ramos based on his social media and gaming habits.

“They can pick up on conversations, content, and immediately start popping up ads before you so, there's going to be issues about who had information that could have prevented this," Henry said.

After the Parkland, Florida, school shooting, the school district paid $25 million to victims and the Department of Justice paid $127 million for failing to follow up on tips about the shooter.