In the course of 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 men got text messages concerning the shooting unfolding at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, final week. "There's an active shooter. Assist. Love you," Albarado's wife Trisha said in three messages at 11:41 a.m.

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

"I requested my barber if he had a gun," Albarado, a U.S. Customs and Border Safety agent, advised CBS Information on Wednesday. He had attended an awards ceremony on the faculty earlier that morning and was off responsibility, along with his weapon at residence.

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

"Youngsters are coming out the home windows," he said.

With individuals fleeing to a funeral home across the road, Albarado mentioned he needed to get inside the varsity as fast as he may.

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

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

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

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

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

The officers began opening classroom doorways, and Albarado said he guided folks to security.

"First classroom, second classroom, third classroom, noticed my daughter," Albarado stated. "Reduction. Huge aid."

He hugged and kissed her, and soon she was heading to the college parking lot.

While Border Patrol agents have been on the team 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 would not have been a good move for me to get into the building," he mentioned. "I did not have my vest. A shotgun's not a good enough defense."

During a press conference final week, the top of the Texas Department of Public Safety mentioned the college district's police chief did not initially ship officers into the classroom the place the gunman was positioned 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 half, Albarado mentioned he wasn't in a position to assess the response.

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

Alex Sundby is a senior editor for CBSNews.com