Yuvalde School Police Chief Pete Aledondo Resigns from City Council

Uvalde, Texas-Uvalde School District Police Chief Resigned from his position in the City Council just weeks after being sworn in following his allegations. His reaction to the mass shootings at Rob Elementary School, where 19 students and two teachers died, was erroneous.

Chief Pete Aledondo told Yuvalde Leader News on Friday that he had decided to resign for the benefit of the city. He was elected to the council on May 7, and was sworn in at a private ceremony on May 31, just one week after the slaughter.

"I'm sorry to inform the people who voted for me that, after much consideration, I decided to resign as a member of the City Council in District 3. Mayor, City Council. , And city officials continue to move forward without distraction. I think this is the best decision for Yuvalde, "said Aledondo.

Arredondo, who has been on leave from school district status since June 22, has rejected repeated requests for comments from the Associated Press. His lawyer, George Hyde, did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by email on Saturday.

On June 21, the city council unanimously resolved to refuse Aledondo to stop attending public meetings. Relatives of the shooting victims begged city leaders to dismiss him.

The city council of Yuvarde issued a statement on Saturday, stating that members could not comment because they had not received official notice from Arredondo about their intention to resign.

"That's right, but no one in the city has seen or spoken to his resignation letter or other documents," said a member of the council. "When the city receives confirmation of the resignation of Councilor Aledondo, the city will address the vacancy in the council's place."

Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin's representative responded to AP's request for comment. not.

Texas Public Safety Director Colonel Stephen McLaugh said last month at a hearing in the State Senate that on-site commander Aledondo made a "terrible decision" as a slaughter. Told. Deployed on May 24, the police response was a "serious failure."

Three minutes after 18-year-old Salvador Ramos entered school, McLaugh testified that a well-armed law enforcement agency was on the scene and stopped the shooters. Still, rifle-armed police officers stood in the school corridor and waited for more than an hour while the shooters were slaughtering. The classroom door couldn't be locked from the inside, but there were no signs that police officers tried to open the door while the shooter was inside, McLaugh said.

McCraw repeatedly begs his parents to move to police outside the school, students in the classroom ask the 911 operator for help, and more than 12 police officers wait in the hallway. He said he begged. Officers from other agencies urged Arredondo to move them in because the children were at risk.

"The reason why the full-time officer's corridor was blocked from entering rooms 111 and 112 was at the scene where it was decided to prioritize the officer's life over the children's life. It was just the commander. "

Aledondo tries to defend his actions, and to the Texas Tribune, he does not consider himself the commander in charge of the operation, and someone else controls the law enforcement response. He said he was assuming that he was there. He said he didn't have police or college radio, but he used his cell phone to request tactical equipment, snipers, and classroom keys.

It's still clear why police took so long to enter the classroom, how police contacted during the attack, and what their body cameras show. Not.

Authorities refused to publish details, citing the investigation.

Arredondo, 50, grew up in Uvalde and has spent most of his nearly 30 years in law enforcement in the city.