During the Uvalde shooting, an off-duty federal agent’s spouse texted him for help. “I requested my barber if he had a gun,” he mentioned.

Jacob Albarado was in his barber's chair when both males acquired textual content messages in regards to the taking pictures unfolding at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde, Texas, final week. "There's an active shooter. Assist. Love you," Albarado's spouse Trisha stated in three messages at 11:41 a.m.

She's a fourth grade instructor at the college, and their daughter is a pupil there.

"I requested my barber if he had a gun," Albarado, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent, informed CBS News on Wednesday. He had attended an awards ceremony at the faculty earlier that morning and was off obligation, together with his weapon at dwelling.

The barber did have a gun. Albarado took it, a shotgun, and they rushed to the chaotic scene. Cops had been already there, and Albarado started helping.

"Youngsters are popping out the home windows," he stated.

With folks fleeing to a funeral home throughout the road, Albarado mentioned he wanted to get inside the college as fast as he could.

"I used to be appearing as a husband and a father," he mentioned.

His spouse let him know she made it to the funeral house, but she told him their daughter was locked in a college restroom.

"I did not know what restroom," Albarado said.

He eventually realized his daughter was in a restroom positioned inside her classroom. Albarado met up with two officers near the classroom.

"We have to get the children out of right here," Albarado mentioned he informed the officers. "… The shooter's over there. We need to get the children out. This is our time."

The officers began opening classroom doors, and Albarado said he guided individuals to security.

"First classroom, second classroom, third classroom, noticed my daughter," Albarado said. "Aid. Large aid."

He hugged and kissed her, and shortly she was heading to the school car parking zone.

Whereas Border Patrol agents have been on the workforce that breached the classroom where the gunman was holed up, Albarado wasn't in that group.

"I did not have my gear, and so it would not have been a smart decision for me to get into the building," he stated. "I did not have my vest. A shotgun's not a good enough protection."

During a press convention final week, the head of the Texas Division of Public Security stated the college district's police chief did not initially send officers into the classroom where the gunman was located as a result of he thought it was now not an active-shooter state of affairs. The U.S. Justice Division is conducting a assessment of the police response.

For his half, Albarado stated he wasn't in a position to assess the response.

"I do know my fellow officers," he stated, "and … to me, coronary heart of hearts, I imagine they have been doing every part of their energy they might do."

Alex Sundby is a senior editor for CBSNews.com