Experts said they would have even stepped over the critically wounded as part of procedure to stop the carnage. But explosives and booby traps added a new element to the response Tuesday and made rescuing the fatally wounded victims nearly impossible. It was unknown if any died as a result. When you have explosive devices you have to be slow and decisive. We're given the mission to serve and protect, but we can't protect if we are injured.
Information is critical Other experts agreed.
Peter Pacillas, a member of the El Paso, Texas, SWAT team. If they just rushed in there and hit a trap it would have wiped out an entire tactical team. About 20 minutes after the dispatcher was contacted, more than 80 officers from tactical teams, including members of the SWAT team from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, converged on the school. It took an additional hour to plan the attack. Full coverage of the Columbine High Massacre in In-Depth.