Over every week after the horrific taking pictures at Robb Elementary College in Uvalde, Texas, residents and the households of the victims of the tragedy that noticed 19 kids and two lecturers die are actually grappling with the police chief's function within the delayed response to the unfolding emergency.
Teenage gunman Salvador Ramos was shot 78 minutes after police had been knowledgeable of the presence of a person with a gun on the college, as officers had been reportedly instructed to attend earlier than storming into the classroom the place the shooter was attacking.
There's been lots of questioning over the police's response to the taking pictures on the college—primarily about whether or not a faster intervention by officers might have saved among the lives misplaced final week.
This delay within the police's response to the taking pictures was solely revealed after incorrect data was shared by officers (there was no armed officer on the college's entrance, as was initially reported) and a timeline of the assault confirmed baffling gaps.
These questions are actually being thrown on the man who's thought-about answerable for giving officers the order to attend: Uvalde College District Police Chief Pete Arredondo.
Why Did He Cease Uvalde Police From Going Into the College to Confront the Shooter?
Although the gunman continued to shoot all through the 78 minutes it took police to enter the classroom at Robb Elementary College, the commanding officer on the scene, Uvalde College District Police Chief Pete Arredondo, reportedly decided that the state of affairs was that of a barricaded topic and never an energetic shooter.
This resolution was essential in figuring out the officers' response to the state of affairs. Whereas within the case of an energetic shooter officers have the responsibility to instantly reply to attempt to cease the assailant and reduce the chance to individuals concerned, within the case of a barricaded topic there's not the identical sense of urgency. Within the case of a barricaded topic, there's technically no menace to civilians.
Arredondo made the choice to attend for extra sources to guard the protection of law enforcement officials slightly than put them in danger by dealing with the gunman. Whereas it is not clear why Arredondo made this resolution, Texas Division of Public Security Director Steve McCraw admitted it was "the flawed resolution."
"There is not any excuse for that," he added.
Why Is He Not Talking to the Press?
Arredondo has not been speaking to the press since addressing the media in two press conferences on the identical day of the assault, Could 24.
At these temporary information conferences, Arredondo supplied little extra data apart from to substantiate the demise of the shooter, saying there was an energetic investigation on the case.
Is He Cooperating With Texas Rangers Investigating the Police Response?
The Texas Division of Public Security mentioned that Arredondo has stopped cooperating with state investigators attempting to evaluate who holds duty for the delay within the police's response to the taking pictures on Could 24.
The division added that Arredondo has not responded to requests for data for over two days after responding to an preliminary interview.
Why Did He Take His Place on the Metropolis Council in Secret?
Whereas being within the eye of the storm that adopted the tragic college taking pictures, Arredondo was secretly appointed to the Uvalde Metropolis Council on Tuesday. The college police chief was seen on the Uvalde Metropolis Corridor taking the oath for a spot within the Metropolis Council to which he had been elected final month.
Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin wrote in an announcement that the general public swearing-in ceremony for Arredondo and different elected members of the council initially set for Tuesday was canceled "out of respect" for the households of the Uvalde victims. However Arredondo and the others nonetheless took their oaths of workplace, in non-public.
Will He Resign Over His Actions?
Whereas there are nonetheless many questions left unanswered, many are demanding Arredondo resign over his resolution to delay the officers' response to the Uvalde taking pictures.
Social media are flooded with feedback of outraged customers calling him incompetent and cowardly for failing to ship officers to the classroom the place Ramos was whereas kids had been calling 911 for assist.
Arredondo, who has virtually three a long time of legislation enforcement expertise, was appointed by the board of trustees for the Uvalde college district in 2020.
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