♪ CRYSTAL: HELLO EVERYBODY.

TONIGHT, THE MURDER OF A BLACK TRANS-WOMAN IN WORCHESTER HAS GONE UNSOLD FOR DECADES.

THE BOSTON POLICE ARE PROMISING TO RENEW THEIR INVESTIGATION.

COULD THERE BE JUSTICE FOR RITA HESTER?

THE REPORTER BEHIND A FRONTLINE DOCUMENTARY INTO THE POLICE RESPONSE IN THE UVALDE, TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING.

25 YEARS AGO, A BLACK TRANS WOMAN NAMED RITA HESTER WAS STABBED TO DEATH IN HER BOSTON APARTMENT, HER MURDER WAS NEVER FOUND AND FRIENDS AND FAMILY AUSTIN WHETHER POLICE OR REALLY COMMITTED TO SOLVING THIS CASE.

ALL OF WHICH SPARKED CITYWIDE PROTESTS AND ULTIMATELY LED TO THE CREATION OF A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE.

ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF HER DEATH, POLICE REAFFIRMED THEIR COMMITMENT TO SOLVING HER CASE WHICH WAS RECENTLY ASSIGNED A NEW DETECTIVE.

AS LOCAL TRANS ACTIVISTS TOLD US, THERE IS A LOT OF MISTRUST AMONG THE TRANS COMMUNITY.

>> THANK GOD IT IS OPEN AGAIN, BUT JUST AN OPEN CASE, ARE THEY GOING TO DO THE WORK?

>> I AM JOINED BY TORI BEDFORD, WHO HAS BEEN COVERING THIS WITH TORI BEDFORD, AN LGBTQ+ REPORTER.

TORI.

YOU HAVE BEEN REPORTING ON THIS, TALK ABOUT US ABOUT CHASTITY'’S STORY?

TORI: SHE COULD NOT JOIN US, SHE IS A SOURCE, THE LONGEST RESUME OF THE WORK THAT SHE HAS DONE WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRANS ADVOCACY AND MENTORSHIP.

I THINK SHE, TO US, SHE STOOD OUT AS THE MAIN CHARACTER OF THIS.

WE ARE LOOKING AT RITA AND WE ARE LOOKING AT THE SAME TIME ON THE VIDEO, THIS IS BEEN COMING OUT WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT THE PARALLEL OF THEIR LIVES.

THEY BOTH HAD THESE CHALLENGES, THEY HAD TO ENGAGE IN SURVIVAL SEX WORK, THEY WERE TREATED AND MISTREATED BY THE PUBLIC AND BY THE MEDIA AND BY THE POLICE AND CHASTITY IS NOW, JUST SUCH A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMUNITY AND HAS GONE ON TO BE LEAD THESE HUGE ORGANIZATIONS AND WHEN SHE LOOKS BACK AT HER LIFE AND HER JOURNEY, WHAT RITA WOULD HAVE PERHAPS WANTED TO DO HAD SHE SURVIVED.

RITA IT WAS A HUGE PERSONALITY, SHE WAS VERY ACTIVE AND VOCAL, BACK IN 1990'’S, SHE DIED IN 1990 ATE, FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

I THINK THAT HER LIFE WAS TAKEN TOO SOON AND VERY TRAGICALLY IN THE WAY THAT IT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF SO MANY DEATHS, SO MANY MEMBERS OF THE TRANS COMMUNITY DIED FROM VIOLENCE.

THE RENEWAL TO THIS CASE AND TO SOLVING IT OFFERS A GLIMMER OF HOPE, IT OFFER SOMETHING TO SAY LIKE HEY, WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS.

WE CARE.

THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US.

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CASES ACROSS THE WORLD OR NEVER GIVEN THE TIME OF DAY.

CRYSTAL: I IMAGINE YOU HEAR THE STORIES AND REPORT ON THE STORIES OBVIOUSLY, WHAT DOES HAVING A POLICE DEPARTMENT LIKE THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT REAFFIRM OR REOPEN THIS CASE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO I GUESS, THE EFFORTS TO FIND THIS MURDERER?

KATE: I THINK IT MEANS A LOT, IT MEANS A LOT TO TWO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, ONE IS RITA'’S IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY, HER FAMILY HAD LONG LOST HOPE.

HER SISTER DIANA, DIANA'’S KIDS AND EXTENDED FAMILY HAD TO STOP CALLING.

THEY HAD BECOME EXHAUSTED.

THE CELEBRATION OF TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE HAD BEEN MEANINGFUL BUT IT ALSO HAD BEEN PAINFUL FOR THEM.

AND THEN THE LARGER TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY OF WHICH I AM A PART, IT REALLY SAYS SOMETHING WHEN THIS MURDERER THAT INSPIRED THE INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT OF TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE WHICH IS AN ANNUAL VIGIL THAT HONORS HOMICIDE VICTIMS WHEN A PERSON THAT INSPIRED THAT COP MURDERED HAD NEVER BEEN SOLVED.

IT FELT LIKE IT WAS A POINT OF REAL PAIN.

IT CONTINUES TO BE.

THAT INITIAL MURDER HAS NEVER BEEN SOLVED.

WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.

IF THAT ONE CANNOT BE SOLD, WHOSE MURDER WILL BE SOLVED?

IT ALWAYS FELT LIKE AN INJUSTICE.

FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

CRYSTAL: THAT TENSION, AS CHASTITY MENTIONED BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE TRANS COMMUNITY, CONTINUES TO EXIST AND BE THERE?

KATE: I WANT TO NOTE, I DO NOT THINK THIS WAS DONE FOR A POINT OF MALICE, BUT THERE CONTINUES TO BE A CULTURAL INCOMPETENCY.

WHEN WE GOT THE STATEMENT FROM POLICE, RITA'’S DEAD NAME, THE MALE NAME SHE WAS ASSIGNED AT BIRTH WAS IN THE STATEMENT.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT POLICE HAVE TO DO AND LEARN IN IN ORDER TO WORK WITH THE TRANS COMMUNITY SO THAT THOSE COMMUNITIES CAN COME TOGETHER AND SOLVE THIS CASE.

THERE IS HEALING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN ORDER FOR THEM TO MOVE FORWARD.

CRYSTAL: AND CHASTITY'’S OWN WORDS WE DO HAVE A SOUNDBITE.

SHE IS TALKING ABOUT THE FIRST TIME SHE HEARD ABOUT RITA HESTER'’S STORY AND THE ONGOING VIOLENCE AGAINST TRANS PEOPLE.

CHASTITY: WE ARE MORNING ALL OF THESE LIVES THAT THEY ARE TAKING A PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY LIKE ME.

IT WAS SCARY, EYE-OPENING, IT MADE ME REALIZE THAT TYPE OF PRECAUTION I HAVE TO TAKE WHEN GOING OUTSIDE AND LEAVING MY HOUSE.

THE EVENTS I GO TO, BECAUSE I REALIZED THAT MY LIFE DOES NOT VALUE -- HAVE VALUE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

CRYSTAL: WE KNOW STATISTICALLY IF YOU ARE A BLACK TRANS PERSON, THE RATES OF HOMICIDE FOR THOSE FOLKS ARE EVEN HIGHER.

CHASTITY TALKING ABOUT HER SAFETY HERE, REALLY, I THINK, IT HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.

IT BRINGS US HOME.

TORI: THEY WERE READING THE NAMES FROM ACROSS THE WORLD THIS YEAR OF TRANS PEOPLE LOST OF VIOLENCE AND I THINK THERE WERE 340 NAMES.

THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED, IT IS UNDERREPORTED, WE SPOKE TO THIS RESEARCHER WHO WORKS AT A THINK TANK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.

HE HAS PRELIMINARY DATA OR THEY ARE SHOWING THE DISPARITY IN CLEARANCE RATES.

HOW THEY SOLVE THE CRIMES.

WHETHER OR NOT POLICE ARE ABLE TO SOLVE THE CRIMES.

THERE IS A LOT OF DISPARITY THERE AND DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS.

HUGE, DEMOGRAPHIC DISPARITIES, THEIR CASES ARE FAR LESS LIKELY TO BE SALT AND YOU WANT TO LOOK AT WHAT IMPACTS THAT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE CONNECTS IN THIS PRELIMINARY DATA IS WHETHER OR NOT POLICE AND THEIR REPORTING OR IN RITA'’S CASE, IT WAS CURRENT DAY REPORTING WHETHER OR NOT POLICE DEAD NAME OR MISS GENDER THE VICTIM.

THAT SHOWS A CULTURAL ISSUE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND IT ALSO SHOWS A LACK OF PUTTING THE WORK INTO KNOW THE DETAILS.

THE DISPARITY THAT HE FOUND FROM 10 YEARS LOOKING AT 10 YEARS OF DATA FROM THE CLEARANCE RATES IS THE NATIONAL CLEARANCE RATE FROM 2010 THROUGH 2021, 11 YEARS, WAS I THINK 62% AND WHEN YOU JUST LIMIT THAT TO TRANS PEOPLE, IT IS 40 ATE8 PERCENT.

HE HAS RESEARCHED LOOKING AT WHAT MAKES SOMEONE A VICTIM IN THE EYES OF SOCIETY.

THEY ARE NOT A TRUE VICTIM, OR THEY ARE NOT -- THEIR CASE IS NOT WORTH SOLVING.

THERE IS A HUGE GAP THERE FOR THESE CASES.

KATE: AS WE TALK ABOUT THE DATA THAT IS OUT THERE, ISN'’T THERE A WILLINGNESS TO HAVE POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO TRAIN OR RETRAIN IN YOUR EXPERIENCE?

KATE: THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.

A LOT HAS CHANGED.

IN THE 25 YEARS SINCE RITA WAS MURDERED.

THERE IS GROWING CULTURAL COMPETENCY.

WE ARE NOT THERE YET.

TRANSGENDER HOMICIDES HAVE ONLY INCREASED WE HAVE SEEN.

PART OF THAT OF COURSE IS THAT MORE PEOPLE REPORT TRANS HOMICIDES AND ARE MORE AWARE OF TRANSGENDER PEOPLE.

BUT ALSO THE VICTORY ALL AGAINST TRANS PEOPLE IS ALSO INCREASING -- THE VITRIOL AGAINST TRANS PEOPLE HAS INCREASED.

BILLS INTRODUCED BY STATE LEGISLATURES HAS IMPACTED THE WAY THAT TRANS PEOPLE GO ABOUT LIVING THEIR LIVES.

IT IS ALSO IMPACTING VIOLENCE AGAINST TRANSGENDER PEOPLE.

PARTICULARLY BLACK TRANSGENDER WOMEN.

WOMEN OF COLOR.

LIVING IN CITIES.

IT IS VERY HARD TO SAY THAT THINGS HAVE GOTTEN BETTER.

PARTICULARLY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.

WHEN WE SEE THINGS LIKE NAMING, WHEN -- DEAD NAMING, AND MURDERS HAPPEN AND CASES ARE NOT SOLD.

THOSE REMAIN SO HIGH.

IT IS THE FEELING DIFFERENT ABOUT SAFETY FOR TRANS PEOPLE?

I DO NOT KNOW.

IT IS HARD TO SAY.

I DO NOT KNOW THAT IT IS.

CRYSTAL: CHASTITY TALKED ABOUT LIVING ON BORROWED TIME AND PROTECTING YOURSELF AND WE WANT TO HEAR FROM HER AGAIN.

CHASTITY: AT 30 ATE, I FELT LIKE -- AT 38, I FEEL LIKE I'’M LIVING ON BORROWED TIME.

I HAVE TO BE MYSELF AUTHENTICALLY EVERY DAY.

REGARDLESS OF IF WHAT ANYONE HAS TO SAY ABOUT ME.

AFTER MUCH FOR THE I PRESENT MYSELF BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY TO LIVE.

WHO WANTS TO WAKE UP EVERY DAY AND WONDER IF THEY WILL MAKE IT BACK HOME?

JUST BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE.

CRYSTAL: JUST INCREDIBLE, THAT SOUNDBITE.

TALK TO ME ABOUT WE GATHERED THAT, BUT THE MEANING BEHIND IT?

TORI: THEY WERE SPEAKING AT THE TRANS DAY OF REMEMBRANCE IN WHICH CHASTITY ORGANIZED.

THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I -- EVERYBODY THAT I HAVE SPOKE TO ABOUT RITA THROUGHOUT THE REPORTING OF THE STORY SAYS THEY HAVE BEEN REPORTING ON RITA FOR YEARS.

THERE IS SOMETHING SO RADICAL AND UNFORTUNATELY PROVOCATIVE TO PEOPLE ABOUT TRANS JOY OR JUST EXISTING.

WHEN WE SPOKE TO CHASTITY, SHE WAS SAYING THAT SHE WILL SAY WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?

WHAT DOES SOCIETY WANT FROM US?

IF I PERFORM MYSELF IN THIS WAY OR THAT WAY, WILL I BE IN LESS DANGER?

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE'’S LIVES AND DYING BY VIOLENT MEANS.

THERE IS SOMETHING SO RADICAL ABOUT BEING AND LIVING OUT LOUD AND ABOUT BEING YOURSELF IN THE FACE OF SO MUCH HATE AND ADJUST THIS WORLD BUT DOES NOT ACCEPT YOU AND MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU SHOULD BE SILENCED OR THAT YOU SHOULD NOT EXIST.

JUST FOR BEING YOURSELF.

TRANS JOY IN THE FACE OF THAT IS A RADICAL POLITICAL ACT.

THAT SHOULD BE CELEBRATED.

AT THE SAME TIME, NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO DO THAT.

PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE THEIR LIVES.

RITA WANTED TO LIVE HER LIFE AND SHE DID AND SHE LIVED SO LOUDLY AND SHE WAS EXPRESSING HERSELF AND SHE WOULD PERFORM AND SHE HAD THIS EXTREMELY JOYOUS PERSONALITY AND SHE WAS A FRIEND TO SO MANY PEOPLE AND I THINK IT IS JUST THE FRAMING THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE MURDERS AND THE WAY THAT PEOPLE ARE VIOLENTLY KILLED.

THERE IS A FRAMING THAT IMPLIES THAT PEOPLE DESERVED IT.

JUST FOR BEING WHO THEY ARE.

I THINK THAT HIS CURRENT DAY, WE TALKED ABOUT IT IS HARD TO SAY HOW THINGS HAVE GOTTEN BETTER AND IS THERE MORE ACCEPTANCE?

THERE IS SO MUCH VITRIOL AND HATE AND VIOLENCE IN THE FACE OF TRANS EXISTENCE, NOT EVEN TRANS JOY.

CRYSTAL: BEING THOUGHTFUL OF THE LANGUAGE, TRYING TO EDUCATE FOLKS ON THE LANGUAGE FOR THIS COMMUNITY FOR FOLKS.

PRONOUNS, IMO THE TERM DEAD NAMING, THINGS LIKE THAT, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT ENDS UP BEING A BARRIER TO EVEN COMPASSION WHICH IT SHOULD NOT BE.

TORI: DO YOU VALIDATE'’S SUMMONS EXISTENCE?

-- SOMEONE'’S EXISTENCE?

SOMETIMES WERE ASKED TO SAY THAT THEY SAY THIS AND THAT, BUT ULTIMATELY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DOING -- DO WE VALIDATE?

IN THE PROCESS OF REPORTING THIS STORY PEOPLE HAVE MISS GENDER DICTATE AND IT IS ON THE WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL OF THE TIME ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.

EACH TIME IS A LITTLE CHIP.

YOU CAN SPEAK MORE TO IT.

TORI: I WANT TO POINT OUT SOMETHING ABOUT TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT WHICH IS THAT IT HAS BECOME THIS INTERNATIONAL DAY.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY.

I MET A YOUNG PERSON, ACTUALLY IN BOSTON A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WORKING ON THE YES ON THREE CAMPAIGN WHICH IS SHOULD MASSACHUSETTS KEEP NONDISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS?

THAT YOUNG PERSON SAID THE FIRST THING THAT I LEARNED ABOUT BEING TRANS WAS TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE.

IT WAS ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY FUNERAL.

I THOUGHT I WOULD BE DEAD BY 24.

AND THAT STRUCK ME BECAUSE THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I REALLY SAT IN THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY AND IT IS THE FIRST TIME A LOT OF TRANS PEOPLE FIND THEIR COMMUNITY.

AND THERE HAS BEEN AN EFFORT TO CREATE OTHER EVENTS.

THE WEEK OF AWARENESS AND VISIBILITY.

SO THAT THAT IS NOT THE ONLY THING THAT TRANS PEOPLE HAVE.

BUT THAT IS THE WAY A LOT OF TRANS PEOPLE HAVE COME TO FIND COMMUNITY AND ENTER IT THROUGH THIS SORT OF FUNERAL.

WE ARE TRYING TO CREATE OTHER STORIES AND OTHER NARRATIVES.

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE RITA DID HAVE A JOYFUL LIFE.

HER FAMILY ACCEPTED HER AND EMBRACED HER AND LOVED HER.

THAT YOUNG PERSON FOUND COMMUNITY BY ORGANIZING LATER.

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT OUR TRANS YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GROWING UP THINKING THAT THEY HAVE THE EXPIRATION DATE?

HOW DO WE CHANGE THAT?

CRYSTAL: VERY WELL SAID.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

NEXT UP, AFTER A GUNMAN SHOT AND KILLED IN 19 CHILDREN AND TWO TEACHERS AT THEY ARE UP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN UVALDE, TEXAS, SERIOUS QUESTIONS WERE RAISED ABOUT WHAT POLICE DID AND DID NOT DO IN THE HOUR AND 14 MINUTES BEFORE THEY ULTIMATELY STOP THE SHOOTER.

THAT DELAY IN RESPONSE IS THE FOCUS OF A NEW DOCUMENTARY FROM FRONTLINE.

>> WE HAVE TO GET IN THERE!

THEY KEEP SHOOTING.

>> IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH IT WAS CLEAR SOMETHING HAD GONE TERRIBLY WRONG.

>> THE CHAIN OF COMMAND IS EVERYTHING AND IT WAS NOT THERE.

>> NONE OF US HAVE EVER BEEN IN THIS TYPE OF SITUATION CRYSTAL: INSIDE OF THE UTILITY RESPONSE USES FIRST-HAND ACCOUNTS AND OFFICIAL BODYCAM FOOTAGE AND AUDIO TO RECONSTRUCT THE TIMELINE OF THE SHOOTING AND ITS RESPONSE.

WE DRINK WITNESSES AND SURVIVORS TO TELL STORIES AND HIGHLIGHT THE LINGERING -- WE SPEAK TO WITNESSES AND SURVIVORS TO TELL STORIES AND HIGHLIGHT THE LINGERING,.

I AM JOINED BY LOMI KRIEL YOU SAW IN THE CLIP, A REPORTER WITH PRO-PUBLIC A AND THE TEXAS TRIBUNE'’S INVESTIGATIVE INITIATIVE.

LOMI: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

CRYSTAL: BEING RIGHT THERE REPORTING, BEING IN THE MIDST OF SUCH A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY, IS ITS OWN STRUGGLE IN AND OF ITSELF, LET ALONE THINKING ABOUT DOCUMENTING IT.

TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE THERE.

LOMI: I HAVE BEEN REPORTING ON UVALDE ALONG WITH THE TEAM OF OTHERS AT PRO-PUBLICA SINCE IT HAPPENED.

WE OBTAINED INVESTIGATIVE MATERIAL THAT HAD NOT BEEN RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC AND WE DID SEVERAL STORIES ON THAT BUT THIS LATEST COLLABORATION WITH FRONTLINE IS THE RESULT OF THE YEARS SPENDING PUTTING THIS TOGETHER IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR.

IT HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT.

WE HAVE SPENT TIME IN UVALDE, SPEAKING WITH FAMILIES, STUDENTS, TEACHERS, WHICH ARE DISPUTE WITH POLICE OFFICERS.

IT ALL JUST IS REALLY SAD AND INFURIATING.

CRYSTAL: YOU MENTIONED INFURIATING IN YOUR YEARS OF REPORTING, WHEN YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT THIS RESPONSE TO THIS SHOOTING AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT IMMEDIATELY STOOD OUT TO YOU AS YOU WILL REPORTING IT?

DURING THE SHOOTING, AFTER THE SHOOTING?

DURING THE TIME OF PUTTING TOGETHER THE PIECE AN INVESTIGATION?

LOMI: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FOUND IN THE MOST RECENT ROUND OF REPORTING THAT SPANNED ALL OF THIS YEAR IS THE INCREDIBLE CONTRAST BETWEEN TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT TO REMAIN QUIET DURING ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILLS.

THAT IS THE BEST DEFENSE TO KEEP THEM SAFE.

THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID.

THAT IS WHAT THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TOLD HIM ONLY US, BUT INVESTIGATORS THEMSELVES.

IN CONTRAST, WE HEAR FROM THE OFFICERS TELLING INVESTIGATORS THAT BECAUSE THAT SCHOOL WING WAS SO QUIET THAT THEY DID NOT THINK THERE WERE CHILDREN OR TEACHERS INSIDE.

IT IS THIS VERY DISTURBING CONTRAST BETWEEN THE TRAINING I WAS FOLLOWED BY THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ACTUALLY MEANT THAT OFFICERS WERE NOT ABLE OR DID NOT REALIZE THAT THERE WERE CHILDREN INSIDE AND DID NOT RESPOND FASTER.

CRYSTAL: IT IS REMARKABLE, WE HAVE A CLIP OF OFFICERS EXCLAIMING HOW QUIET IT WAS IN THE HALLWAY AND WHY THEY THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS NO ONE DOWN THERE.

>> I DID NOT THINK ANYBODY WAS IN THERE BESIDE THE GUNMAN.

I DID NOT HEAR ANY SCREAMING, YELLING, I DID NOT HEAR ANYTHING AT ALL.

AND YOU WOULD THINK THAT THOSE KIDS WOULD BE RUNNING AND SCREAMING.

>> WE COULD NOT HEAR THE KIDS, WE COULD NOT HEAR HIM SHOOTING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO, I GUESS THAT IS WHY THEY WERE WAITING TO MAKE ENTRY.

WE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THEIR.

IT WAS TOO QUIET.

>> DID YOU THINK THERE WERE KIDS IN THAT ROOM?

>> I KNEW THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY BECAUSE IT IS A SCHOOL BUT I DID NOT KNOW FOR SURE THAT THERE WERE KIDS.

THEY WERE DOING SOMETHING ELSE, NOT IN THEIR CLASSROOMS.

THAT WAS WISHFUL THINKING.

CRYSTAL: I AM ALSO THOUGHTFUL OF HOW REMARKABLE THIS IS BECAUSE ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING WAS NOT A NEW CONCEPT.

BEFORE THE UVALDE SHOOTING.

AS YOU MENTIONED, IT SEEMS LIKE THE STAFF AND BY EXTENSION THE CHILDREN WERE DOING WHAT THEY WERE TAUGHT TO DO.

SOMEHOW THE POLICE OFFICERS HAD THIS DISCONNECT?

LOMI: EXACTLY.

WHAT WE ALSO FOUND IN A REPORTING WHICH INCLUDED GOING TO ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING OURSELVES AND REVIEWING PAST FAILED RESPONSES LIKE PARKLAND, WAS THAT A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT UVALDE HAD HAPPENED BEFORE.

IN THE TERMS OF POLICE THINKING IT WAS A BARRICADED SHOOTER NOT AN ACTIVE, NOT ANYONE GOING IMMEDIATELY INSIDE HER SAYING THAT SOMEONE IS HURT OR POSSIBLY DYING.

IT IS THE CENTRAL TENANT OF THE TRAINING.

STOP THE EARNING AND THE DYING.

THE PROBLEMS WITH COMMUNICATION.

ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED TO SOME DEGREE BEFORE.

I THINK WOULD HAPPEN IN UVALDE IS NOT ONLY THAT ALL OF THEM COAGULATED AT ONCE, BUT ALSO, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT, WE HAVE ACCESS NOW TO NOT ONLY THE BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE THAT SHOWS IN REAL TIME, BUT THE INTERVIEWS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TELLING US HOW THEY THOUGHT IT TRANSPIRED WHICH IS INCREDIBLY RARE.

THERE IS A NORMAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION TO GET THE COMPLETE FILE.

IT IS PARTICULARLY RARE IN A MASS SHOOTING WHERE THAT INFORMATION IS OFTEN KEPT SECRET FOR YEARS AS IT IS NEVER RELEASED.

CRYSTAL: TAKE US BEHIND THE CURTAIN, HOW DID YOU GET ACCESS TO THESE INVESTIGATIVE MATERIALS?

LOMI: WE HAVE SUED THE CONTORTION OF NEWS ORGANIZATIONS AND SUED THE STATE TO TRY TO GET ACCESS TO JUST BASIC INFORMATION.

911 CALLS THAT WOULD TYPICALLY BE RELEASED IN ANY KIND OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AND A MASS SHOOTING.

ALL OF THOSE REQUESTS HAVE BEEN DENIED BECAUSE THERE IS AN ONGOING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AS WELL INTO THIS RESPONSE.

DURING THE COURSE OF OUR REPORTING, WE JUST WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN MATERIAL FROM THE INVESTIGATIVE FILES THAT INCLUDES MORE THAN 150 INTERVIEWS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, STUDENT TEACHERS, PHOTOGRAPHS, 911 CALLS, REGULAR CALLS, DISPATCH COMMUNICATIONS, TOGETHER WE ANSWERED THE THREAT LINE AND PUT TOGETHER THE KEY MOMENTS THAT WE COULD DECIPHER FOR THIS RESPONSE.

CRYSTAL: WHEN YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU AND THE TEAM HAVE BEEN REPORTING ON THIS FOR A WHILE NOW, WHEN YOU BRING THE INFORMATION BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, OR THE FAMILY IS, RIGHT?

WHO SEE THIS WHO ARE LEARNING THIS AS WELL.

WHAT HAS BEEN THEIR RESPONSE AND HOW DO YOU MANAGE THAT WITH THEM?

LOMI: OBVIOUSLY, UVALDE FOR YOUR VIEWERS, IT IS A SMALL CITY OF ABOUT 15,000 PEOPLE.

SOUTHWEST TEXAS.

MORE THAN AN HOUR FROM SAN ANTONIO.

THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN DEVASTATED BY WHAT HAPPENED.

EVERYBODY THERE, IT IS A SMALL CITY, EVERYBODY KNOWS EACH OTHER AND THEY SEE EACH OTHER.

THERE IS ONE MAIN GROCERY STORE, EVERYBODY GOES TO THE GROCERY STORE.

IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY DEVASTATING FOR THEM.

THEY HAD ONE HOMICIDE THE YEAR BEFORE THIS HAPPENED.

THIS IS NOT A COMMUNITY THAT IS USED TO THIS KIND OF TRAGEDY OF VIOLENCE IN THIS WAY.

OBVIOUSLY, THE REPORTING WAS VERY DIFFICULT, BUT WE TRIED TO DO ALONG WITH THE TEAM THAT ARE REPORTED WITH IS REALLY TALK TO PEOPLE AND EVERY CHILD THAT IS NAMED IN THE STORY WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH THEIR PARENTS.

WE HAVE GOTTEN CONSENT TO USE THEIR NAME TO IDENTIFY THEM, TO USE ANY IDENTIFYING FOOTAGE OR AUDIO FROM THEM.

THE FAMILIES WANT MORE ACCOUNTABILITY AND THEY WANT MORE TRANSPARENCY.

THEY WANT ANSWERS.

THEY WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY.

MORE THAN 80 MONTHS IN THEY STILL HAVE VERY LITTLE IDEA.

I THINK THAT THEY ARE GRATEFUL TO GET SOME ANSWERS FROM US.

FROM THIS MATERIAL WE HAVE OBTAINED.

THEY ARE STILL WAITING FOR THE OFFICIAL FINDINGS FROM INVESTIGATORS AND FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY THEMSELVES.

CRYSTAL: MANY OF THEM HAVE BECOME ACTIVISTS IN THIS SPACE AS WELL?

LOMI: THAT IS RIGHT.

A LOT OF THEM HAVE BECOME PRETTY ACTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO GUN CONTROL OR THINGS LIKE LOWERING THE AGE FOR -- RAISING THE AGE FOR SEMIAUTOMATIC PURCHASES.

SOME OF THEM HAVE RETREATED BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST DEVASTATED BY GRIEF.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SEE THAT HAPPENED AFTER THE COMMUNITY, AFTER THESE THINGS HAPPEN, YOU HAVE THESE KIND OF POLAR OPPOSITE RESPONSES.

IT IS ALL VERY SAD, EVERYBODY DEALS WITH GRIEF DIFFERENTLY AND IT IS AN UNIMAGINABLE GRIEF THAT I DO NOT THINK ANYBODY CAN UNDERSTAND UNLESS YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH THAT.

CRYSTAL: ALL THROUGH THIS, AS SOMEONE WHO, AS WE SIT IN BOSTON, WE ARE WATCHING IT FROM THE OUTSIDE AND SEEING FOLKS POINTING FINGERS AT EACH OTHER.

IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WAS NO REAL RESOLUTION OR THE RESOLUTION IS ONGOING IN TERMS OF THE CHAIN OF COMMAND FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

IS THAT SORT OF WORK ON THAT LEVEL STILL BEING HAPPENING?

TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE OR DO YOU GET A SENSE THAT THE HIGHER UPS IN THE SPACE OR TIME TO MOVE ON FROM THIS?

LOMI: I THINK IT IS A MIXED BAG.

WE ARE WAITING FOR INVESTIGATORS TO RELEASE IT ALL.

FOR WHATEVER THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY WILL DO WITH OUR CRIMINAL PROBE.

I THINK WITHIN UVALDE, THERE HAS BEEN A DIVIDE BETWEEN FAMILIES THAT WANT -- AND THE COMMUNITY THAT WANTS TO MOVE ON AND TRY TO NOT NECESSARILY FORGET BUT MOVE ON TO OTHER THINGS.

THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY THAT REALLY FEELS THAT WE CANNOT MOVE ON UNTIL WE HAVE ANSWERS.

ARE DEVASTATED AND ANGRY AND INFURIATED, THOUGH 120 ACCOUNTABILITY.

VERY FEW PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN PUBLICLY DISCIPLINED FOR THEIR ROLE IN THE RESPONSE, MORE THAN 300 STATE, LOCAL, AND FEDERAL AGENTS RESPONDED.

ONLY ABOUT FIVE, LESS THAN A HANDFUL HAVE BEEN PUBLICLY TERMINATED, OTHERS HAVE BEEN REASSIGNED OR RETIRED.

NOT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER.

I THINK THAT THE QUEST FOR ANSWERS IS STILL ONGOING AND THE QUEST FOR JUST EVEN AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF FAILURE MORE BROADLY THAN WHAT HAS OCCURRED SO FAR.

CRYSTAL: SO OFTEN WE MOVE ON FROM THE STORIES WHEN THEY FALL OUT OF THE NEW CYCLE, YOU AND THE FOLKS ON THE TEAM HAVE STAYED.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT SORT OF STAYS WITH YOU IN THIS REPORTING AS YOU CONTINUE TO BE IMMERSED IN WHAT IS A TRAUMA ON THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY?

CRYSTAL: THERE ARE SO MANY MOMENTS OF THIS.

THIS IS A STORY I WILL NEVER FORGET.

I DO NOT THINK THAT YOU CAN WHEN 10-YEAR-OLDS WERE KILLED.

I THINK THAT WHAT REALLY STANDS OUT IN THE DOCUMENTARY AND I THINK AS WELL IN THE STORY IS SO MANY MOMENTS THAT SHOULD HAVE GONE TO RESPONDED TO DIFFERENTLY.

IN THE CONTEXT OF WE SPOKE, COLUMBINE HAPPENED TWO DECADES AGO AND THESE FAILURES ARE REPEATING THEMSELVES.

IT FEELS LIKE AS A COMMUNITY, AS A NATION, WE ARE NOT ADDRESSING THE ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO.

WHETHER YOU THINK THAT IS GUN-CONTROL OR TRAINING, OR SCHOOL HARDENING, IT SEEMS THAT NONE OF IT IS WORKING.

SOME OF THOSE FAILURES KEEP HAPPENING.

CRYSTAL: IT IS ALWAYS DEVASTATING EVERY SINGLE TIME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

LOMI: THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

CRYSTAL: A SET OF THE YEAR RESPONSE PREMIERES AT 10:00 RIGHT HERE ON GBH AND AT PBS.ORG.

COME BACK TOMORROW, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.

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