Uvalde schools’ law enforcement chief resigns from City Council

UVALDE, Texas (VFAB) — The Uvalde faculty district’s police main has stepped down from his place in the City Council just weeks just after being sworn in adhering to allegations that he erred in his reaction to the mass capturing at Robb Elementary College that left 19 college students and two teachers useless.

Main Pete Arredondo told the Uvalde Leader-News on Friday that he has decided to action down for the fantastic of the town. He was elected to the council on May well 7 and was sworn in on May 31, just a 7 days right after the massacre, in a shut-door ceremony.

“After considerably consideration, I regret to tell these who voted for me that I have determined to action down as a member of the metropolis council for District 3. The mayor, the city council, and the city staff members must go on to move forward without the need of distractions. I feel this is the very best decision for Uvalde,” Arredondo reported.

Arredondo, who has been on administrative depart from his faculty district position considering that June 22, has declined recurring requests for remark from The Linked Push. His legal professional, George Hyde, did not instantly react to emailed requests for comment Saturday.

On June 21, the Town Council voted unanimously to deny Arredondo a leave of absence from appearing at general public meetings. Family members of the shooting victims experienced pleaded with city leaders to fireplace him.

The Uvalde Town Council launched a assertion Saturday stating members couldn’t remark due to the fact they had not been given formal notification from Arredondo of his intent to resign.

“While it is the right thing to do, no 1 from the Town has viewed a letter or any other documentation of his resignation, or spoken with him,” the council associates reported. “When the Metropolis receives affirmation of Councilman Arredondo’s resignation, the City will address the Council location vacancy.”

Reps of Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin have not responded to VFAB’s requests for remark.

Col. Steven McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Security, instructed a point out Senate hearing previous month that Arredondo — the on-website commander — made “terrible decisions” as the massacre unfolded on May well 24 , and that the law enforcement response was an “abject failure.”

Three minutes following 18-yr-old Salvador Ramos entered the university, adequate armed law enforcement were on scene to prevent the gunman, McCraw testified. But police officers armed with rifles stood and waited in a university hallway for far more than an hour though the gunman carried out the massacre. The classroom doorway could not be locked from the inside, but there is no indication officers experimented with to open the door although the gunman was within, McCraw stated.

McCraw has claimed mothers and fathers begged police outside the house the school to go in and learners inside of the classroom continuously pleaded with 911 operators for help though extra than a dozen officers waited in a hallway. Officers from other companies urged Arredondo to permit them transfer in mainly because youngsters have been in danger.

“The only issue halting a hallway of dedicated officers from coming into room 111 and 112 was the on-scene commander who made a decision to put the life of officers ahead of the lives of children,” McCraw said.

Arredondo has tried using to protect his steps, telling the Texas Tribune that he didn’t contemplate himself the commander in charge of functions and that he assumed someone else had taken management of the law enforcement response. He reported he didn’t have his law enforcement and campus radios but that he utilized his cellphone to phone for tactical equipment, a sniper and the classroom keys.

It’s even now not distinct why it took so extended for police to enter the classroom, how they communicated with each and every other all through the attack, and what their physique cameras clearly show.

Officials have declined to launch extra information, citing the investigation.

Arredondo, 50, grew up in Uvalde and has invested a great deal of his just about 30-12 months career in regulation enforcement in the city.