Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District police chief Pete Arredondo, who has faced criticism over the botched response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary, has resigned from the Uvalde City Council, the Uvalde Leader-News reported.
Driving the news: Arredondo was sworn in as a council member in May shortly after the shooting that left 19 children and 2 teachers dead.
What he’s saying: “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,” Arredondo said in a statement, per the Uvalde News.
- “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.”
- “As we continue to grieve over the tragedy that occurred on May 24th, we pray for the families involved and our community,” Arredondo said. “Uvalde has a rich history of loving and supporting thy neighbor and we must continue to do so.”
- “In speaking with other communities that have had similar tragedies, the guidance has been the same… continue to support the families, continue to support our community, and definitely, to keep our faith.”
Catch up quick: Arredondo and other Texas law enforcement officials have faced criticism over why it took so long for officers to stop the shooter.
- Steven McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said in late May that Arredondo made "the wrong decision" by not breaching the classrooms where the gunman was with students and teachers.
- McCraw said Arredondo, the on-site commander, thought the shooter was barricaded inside and it was not an active-shooter situation.
- Arredondo’s lawyer, George Hyde, told the Texas Tribune last month that the police chief didn’t think he was the incident commander as the shooting unfolded because he was acting as a first responder.
Go deeper: City of Uvalde hires law firm to block release of documents related to mass shooting
Editor's note: This story was updated with additional details throughout.
