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

Jacob Albarado was in his barber's chair when both males received text messages about the capturing unfolding at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde, Texas, final week. "There's an lively shooter. Assist. Love you," Albarado's wife Trisha said in three messages at 11:41 a.m.

She's a fourth grade trainer on the faculty, 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, advised CBS News on Wednesday. He had attended an awards ceremony at the school earlier that morning and was off responsibility, along with his weapon at home.

The barber did have a gun. Albarado took it, a shotgun, and so they rushed to the chaotic scene. Law enforcement officials had been already there, and Albarado began serving to.

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

With people fleeing to a funeral dwelling throughout the street, Albarado stated he wished to get inside the college as quick as he could.

"I used to be performing as a husband and a father," he stated.

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

"I didn't know what restroom," Albarado mentioned.

He ultimately learned 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 youngsters out of right here," Albarado said he advised the officers. "… The shooter's over there. We have to get the youngsters out. That 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 mentioned. "Relief. Big relief."

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

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

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

Throughout a press conference final week, the pinnacle of the Texas Division of Public Safety mentioned the college district's police chief did not initially ship officers into the classroom the place the gunman was situated as a result of he thought it was now not an active-shooter situation. The U.S. Justice Department is conducting a evaluation of the police response.

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

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

Alex Sundby is a senior editor for CBSNews.com