The Uvalde in Texas school district’s police chiefHas slowed down fromHis position on the City Council was taken just weeks after he was sworn in. This was in response to allegations that he had erred in his duties responseMasses shootingRobb Elementary School, where 19 students and 2 teachers were killed.
Pete Arredondo wrote Friday in a letter that he was stepping down for the benefit of the community cityto “minimize distractions”. He was elected to the councilOn May 7, he was sworn into office and was executed on May 31 in a closed-door ceremony.
“The mayor, city councilThe. cityStaff must continue to move forward in order to unite our community once and again,” Arredondo stated in his resignation, which was first reported on the Uvalde Leader News.
Arredondo has been on administrative leave fromHis schoolDistrict position since June 22 has declined multiple requests for comment fromThe Associated Press. George Hyde (his attorney) did not respond to email requests for comment on Saturday.
Arredondo was denied leave of absence by the City Council on June 21st. fromParticipation in public meetings Family members of the shootingThe victims had pleaded for their release cityHe should be fired by leaders
A campaign sign for Arredondo can be seen in Uvalde, May 29. (Veronica G. Cardenas/Reuters)
After Arredondo’s resignation, the Uvalde City Council released it Saturday. cityOfficials were notified by email of his intention to resign, but they did not respond.
Representatives from Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin didn’t respond to AP’s requests for comment.
Police responseCalled an “abject fail”
Col. Steven McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, told a state Senate hearing last month that Arredondo — the on-site commander — made “terrible decisions” as the massacre unfolded on May 24 , and that the police responseIt was an “abject fail.”
Salvador Ramos, 18, entered the room just three minutes after he had arrived. schoolMcCraw testified that enough armed police officers were on the scene to arrest the gunman. But policeArmed with rifles, officers stood and waited. schoolthe massacre took place for over an hour in the hallway. The classroom door couldn’t be locked fromMcCraw said that officers were not allowed to enter the room from the outside, although McCraw claimed there was no evidence that they attempted to do so while McCraw was inside.
McCraw said McCraw’s parents begged policeOutside the schoolThe students were unable to get out of the classroom and called 911 repeatedly for help. Meanwhile, more than a dozen officers stood in a corridor waiting. Officers fromArredondo was also urged to accept them by other agencies, because they were concerned about the safety of children.
“The only thing that can stop a corridor of dedicated officers is me” fromMcCraw stated that the commander in charge of entering rooms 111 and 112 decided to put the lives of officers above the lives of children.”
Arredondo tried to defend himself, telling the Texas Tribune he did not consider himself commander in command of operations and assumed that someone else was in control of law enforcement. response. He claimed he didn’t have his. policeand campus radios, but he used his cellphone for calls to tactical gear, a spy and the classroom keys.
After fleeing, children run to safety. fromA window during a mass shootingRobb Elementary School, May 24, (Pete Luna/Uvalde Leader-News/Reuters)
It’s not yet clear why it took so many years. policeto enter the classroom and how they communicated during the attack. What their body cameras show.
Officials declined to provide more information, citing the investigation.
Arredondo (50), was born in Uvalde. Most of his nearly 30 years in law enforcement have been in the area. city.
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