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Uvalde schools' police chief resigns from City Council

Texas School Shooting
Posted at 4:21 PM, Jul 02, 2022
and last updated 2022-07-02 18:17:29-04

The Uvalde school district's police chief has stepped down from his position in the City Council just weeks after being sworn in following allegations that he erred in his response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School that left 19 students and two teachers dead.

Chief Pete Arredondo told the Uvalde Leader-News Friday that his resignation is "the best decision for Uvalde." He was elected to the District 3 council position on May 7 and sworn in on May 31. The director of the Texas Department of Public Safety told a Senate hearing last month that Arredondo made "terrible decisions" as the massacre unfolded on May 24 , and that the police response was an "abject failure."

“After much consideration, I regret to inform those who voted for me that I have decided to step down as a member of the city council for District 3. The mayor, the city council, and the city staff must continue to move forward without distractions. I feel this is the best decision for Uvalde,” Arredondo said.

Texas School Shooting Police Chief
A campaign sign for Pete Arredondo, the chief of police for the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, is seen in Uvalde, Texas Monday, May 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

“The mayor, the city council, and the city staff must continue to move forward to unite our community once again,” Arredondo said in his resignation, first reported by the Uvalde Leader-News.

See the full statement here: