Pete Arredondo – the highly criticized Uvalde school police chief – will resign from his city council position, according to a new report.
A few weeks before the mass shooting on May 24 that killed 19 children and two teachers at the Robb Elementary School, Arredondo was elected to the Uvalde city council. He was sworn into the position on May 31. However, Arredondo will reportedly step down from the position in the Texas town.
“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 told Uvalde Leader-News.
“As we continue to grieve over the tragedy that occurred on May 24th, we pray for the families involved and our community,” Arredondo told the local newspaper. “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.”
Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin said the city has yet to receive a resignation letter from Arredondo, but McLaughlin called it “the right thing to do,” Fox News reported.
Following the deadly school shooting, Arredondo had requested an extended leave from the city council. However, city council denied his request during a meeting held on June 21.
The chief of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District police department was placed on administrative leave on June 22. The day prior, Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw told a state Senate committee that police officers could have ended the deadly school massacre within minutes. However, under Arredondo’s command, the mass shooter was not neutralized until 77 minutes after the gunman entered Robb Elementary School.
Arrendondo earns an annual salary of $90,750 as the chief of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District police department, according to Uvalde Leader-News.
A report from last month stated that a Uvalde police officer passed up an opportunity to open fire on the school shooter. The report also said that law enforcement never tried to open the classroom door where the gunman was.