AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — An indictment unsealed Friday revealed that the police chief for schools in Uvalde, Texas, failed to properly identify an active shooting situation, deviated from his training, and made decisions that hindered the law enforcement response to stop a gunman who killed 21 people at Robb Elementary. The gunman was actively targeting victims in the May 24, 2022, attack.
Pete Arredondo was arrested and briefly booked into the Uvalde County jail on 10 state jail felony counts of abandoning or endangering a child in connection to the attack, in which 19 children and two teachers lost their lives. Former school officer Adrian Gonzales also faces similar charges, as reported by the Uvalde Leader-News and the San Antonio Express-News.
Arredondo and Gonzales are the first officers to face criminal charges in response to one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. This indictment comes after two years of calls from some families for accountability.
Jesse Rizo, whose niece was among the victims, expressed relief at the charges but also expressed a desire to see more officers held accountable. It remains unclear if the grand jury considered indictments against other individuals.
An attorney for Gonzales issued a statement calling the charges against law enforcement officers “unprecedented in the state of Texas.” The indictment asserted that Arredondo’s actions during the shooting amounted to “criminal negligence.”
More than 370 officers from various agencies responded to the incident at Robb Elementary, but there was a delay of over 70 minutes before the shooter was confronted. Terrified students inside the classroom called 911 for help while some parents begged officers to intervene. Eventually, a tactical team entered the classroom and neutralized the shooter.
Family members of the victims have expressed frustration and demanded justice for those affected by the tragedy. The indictment accuses Arredondo of failing to protect survivors of the attack, including a student who called 911 for assistance.
The charges against Arredondo carry up to two years in jail if convicted. Since the shooting, investigative reports have highlighted several failures in the police response, leading to Arredondo losing his job three months after the incident.
State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, emphasized the importance of holding all officers involved accountable for their actions on the day of the shooting. The investigation is ongoing, and further actions may be taken to ensure justice for the victims and their families.
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Associated Press journalist Terry Spencer in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., contributed to this report