Additional Coverage:
- Former Uvalde school police chief Pete Arredondo in custody (newsbreak.com)
In Uvalde, Texas, Pete Arredondo, the former Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District police chief, was taken into custody on Thursday, over two years subsequent to the tragic events at Robb Elementary School in 2022. Arredondo faces charges related to child endangerment, for which he was indicted on ten counts, as confirmed by Uvalde County Sheriff Ruben Nolasco via a text to CBS News. Following his arrest, Arredondo posted a $10,000 bond, securing his release from the Uvalde County Jail.
Additionally, reports from the San Antonio Express-News have revealed that not only Arredondo but also a second officer who was at the scene during the Uvalde tragedy have been indicted by a grand jury. This development has stirred emotions among the victims’ families, with Jesse Rizo, who lost his niece Jackie Cazares in the shooting, expressing both emotion and a measure of relief at the news.
The Uvalde School District, while responding to inquiries late Thursday, indicated its recent awareness of the indictments through media reports, offering condolences and expressing sympathy towards those grappling with the aftermath of the shooting.
The incident that led to these charges occurred more than two years ago when a teenage gunman took the lives of 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary. The response of law enforcement, particularly the hesitation to engage the shooter immediately—taking over an hour before action was taken—has been subject to severe criticism. Arredondo was terminated from his position three months after the shooting.
The arrest has been met with a mix of disappointment and hopeful anticipation for further accountability, as voiced by family members like Rizo, who criticizes the apparent inaction and errors made during the crisis.
A January report by the Justice Department highlighted significant missteps and failures in the law enforcement response to the massacre. Meanwhile, in May, a settlement agreement was reached with the city of Uvalde, amounting to $2 million to be paid to the families of the victims and two surviving children, according to the families’ legal representatives.
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- Former Uvalde school police chief Pete Arredondo in custody (newsbreak.com)