Disasters & Accidents

Uvalde police chief fired over school shooting response

Washington, Aug 24 (EFE).- The Uvalde school district board voted unanimously Wednesday night to immediately fire embattled police chief Pedro “Pete” Arredondo three months after a mass shooting at Robb Elementary killed 19 children and two teachers.

In an hour-and-a-half-long closed meeting, board members decided to terminate the contract of Arredondo, who has drawn widespread criticism from parents and community members over the response of law enforcement to the May shooting.

Arredondo was placed on leave from his post as chief of police for the Uvalde school district on June 22, although he still held the position.

His being placed on leave came a day after Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw testified before a state Senate committee, saying Arredondo made “terrible decisions” while the massacre was taking place.

According to McCraw, there were enough armed police officers wearing body armor to stop the shooting at Robb Elementary School three minutes after it began.

However, police waited in the corridor for 77 minutes while the assailant carried out the massacre.

The US government is investigating the police response and it is not yet known why it took so long for officers to confront the attacker.

The investigation is expected to offer more details about the communication between the various police forces.

In an interview with the Texas Tribune, Arredondo claimed that he did not know that he was in charge of the response to the shooting.

The Uvalde school shooting is the US’ second deadliest of the last decade after Sandy Hook in 2012 in which 26 people lost their lives. EFE

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