As I recall, the priority was making sure no one else, including LE, was killed by these two guys. They also wanted to capturing them alive. As I recall, large numbers of LE were patrolling the area, with weapons, dogs, airplanes and boats. There was all the logistics of getting hundreds of people up there, housing them, feeding them, getting all the equipment up there, interviewing people, setting up road blocks, collecting masses of information, creating search plans and systematcally mapping everything they did.
Meanwhile, the media were standing around, eating beef jerky and taking a few photos. But they found a pair of keys! And saved us all from those incompetent police idiots. Thank god we have journalists to save the day, our heroes.