Uwalde school police chief Pete Aredondo, who commanded Rob’s law enforcement shooting at the Rob primary school, was sworn in as a member of the city council on Tuesday without ceremony.
“Out of respect for the families who buried their children today and who plan to bury their children in the next few days, no ceremony was held,” Uwalde Mayor Don McLaughlin said in a statement.
The rise of Aredondo to the city council comes hours after the Texas Department of Homeland Security said local police were not cooperating in the investigation into the massacre, which killed 19 fourth-graders and two teachers.
The 50-year-old law enforcement officer came under fire after he detained police officers from breaking into a school classroom and confronting 18-year-old shooter Salvador Ramos for more than an hour because he “believes he has gone from active A barricade shooter “and believes the children are not at risk, Texas Director of Public Safety Stephen McCrow said Friday.
Uwalde Police Department came under fire for its delayed approach to stopping the active shooter. CHANDAN KANNA / AFP via Getty Images There were no means to postpone or suspend Arendondo’s confirmation before the council, said Uwalde Mayor Don McLaughlin. AP / Jae C. Hong.
McCrow said students and teachers had repeatedly called 911 and asked for help, while Aredondo told more than a dozen police officers to wait in the hallway, contrary to active shooting protocols.
The hesitant response raised the question of whether more lives could have been saved if the police had acted faster.
“It was the wrong decision,” McCrow said.
UNDERSTANDING: Uvalde ISD leader Pete Aredondo was officially sworn in as a member of the city council today, Mayor Don McLaughlin confirmed in a statement. This comes hours after the MRF said it was not responding to a request for a follow-up interview. pic.twitter.com/yKG1ed68AE
– Tony Plochetski (@tplohetski) June 1, 2022
A DPS spokesman in Texas told ABC News that Aredondo had given an initial interview about the investigation, but did not respond to a request for a follow-up interview two days ago.
Sources told the publication that the decision was made to suspend cooperation following McCrow’s remarks on Friday, which criticized the department’s response.
Aredondo, who was born in Uwalde and graduated from high school in Uwalde, was elected to the council earlier this month. He spent most of his nearly 30-year career in law enforcement in his hometown, returning in 2020 to take up the post of chief of police in the school district.
Public Safety Director Stephen McCrow said the police chief had made the “wrong decision” to wait to face Salvador Ramos. El Paso Times-USA TODAY NETWORK /
The mayor announced on Monday that the swearing-in ceremony would not take place as originally planned. He said there were no means to delay or suspend Arendondo’s confirmation before the council.
“Pete Aredondo was duly elected to the city council,” the mayor said in a statement Monday. “There is nothing in the City Charter, the Electoral Code or the Texas Constitution that forbids him from taking the oath. As far as we know, we are not currently aware of Mr Aredondo’s investigation.
With postal wires
Add Comment