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

Jacob Albarado was in his barber's chair when both men acquired textual content messages in regards to the capturing unfolding at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde, Texas, last week. "There's an lively shooter. Help. 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 Safety agent, told CBS Information on Wednesday. He had attended an awards ceremony on the faculty earlier that morning and was off responsibility, together with his weapon at house.

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

"Children are coming out the home windows," he mentioned.

With folks fleeing to a funeral residence across the road, Albarado said he needed to get inside the varsity as fast as he might.

"I was performing as a husband and a father," he mentioned.

His wife let him know she made it to the funeral residence, but she told him their daughter was locked in a school restroom.

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

He ultimately discovered his daughter was in a restroom positioned inside her classroom. Albarado met up with two officers close to the classroom.

"We need to get the kids out of right here," Albarado stated he advised the officers. "… The shooter's over there. We have to get the youngsters out. This is our time."

The officers began opening classroom doors, and Albarado stated he guided folks to safety.

"First classroom, second classroom, third classroom, noticed my daughter," Albarado stated. "Relief. Massive reduction."

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

Whereas Border Patrol brokers had been on the group that breached the classroom the place the gunman was holed up, Albarado wasn't in that group.

"I didn't have my gear, and so it wouldn't have been a smart move for me to get into the constructing," he stated. "I did not have my vest. A shotgun's not a good enough defense."

Throughout a press convention final week, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety stated the varsity district's police chief did not initially ship officers into the classroom the place the gunman was located because he thought it was no longer an active-shooter situation. The U.S. Justice Department is conducting a assessment of the police response.

For his part, Albarado said he wasn't able to assess the response.

"I know my fellow officers," he stated, "and … to me, heart of hearts, I believe they were doing every thing in their power they could do."

Alex Sundby is a senior editor for CBSNews.com