The former Uvalde, Texas, schools police chief made his first court appearance on Monday in connection with the law enforcement response to the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting. Pete Arredondo, who allegedly served as the incident commander, faced scrutiny for his role in a response that resulted in the tragic deaths of 19 students and two teachers.
Arredondo's attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the charges, arguing that he should not be held accountable for actions he did not take during the incident. The judge did not issue a ruling on the motion during Monday's court proceedings.
Earlier this year, a grand jury indicted Arredondo and responding officer Adrian Gonzales on multiple counts of child endangerment and abandonment. Both individuals have entered pleas of not guilty.
The indictment alleges that Arredondo failed to adhere to his active shooter training and made critical decisions that impeded the police response while the gunman was actively targeting victims.
Over 70 minutes passed before nearly 400 officers from various law enforcement agencies engaged the gunman at Robb Elementary. State and federal investigations have highlighted deficiencies in communication, leadership, and training within the law enforcement response.
A federal review conducted by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Office of Professional Responsibility revealed similar breakdowns in communication and command among Border Patrol agents.
Arredondo has expressed feeling unfairly targeted for his role in the incident and disputed being designated as the lead commander. He and Gonzales are the only two officers facing criminal charges in connection with the shooting. If convicted, they could face up to two years of incarceration.
