Former Uvalde police chief indicted over response to Robb Elementary shooting

Jim Vertuno, Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The erstwhile Uvalde schools constabulary main was indicted complete his domiciled successful nan slow constabulary consequence to nan 2022 massacre astatine a Texas simple schoolhouse that near 19 children and 2 teachers dead, nan section sheriff said Thursday.

Pete Arredondo was indicted by a expansive assemblage connected 10 counts of felony kid endangerment/abandonment and concisely booked into nan region jailhouse earlier he was released connected bond, Uvalde Sheriff Ruben Nolasco told The Associated Press successful a matter connection Thursday night.

The Uvalde Leader-News and nan San Antonio Express-News reported that erstwhile schoolhouse serviceman Adrian Gonzales besides was indicted connected aggregate akin charges. The Uvalde Leader-News reported that District Attorney Christina Mitchell confirmed nan indictment.

Mitchell did not return telephone and email messages from The Associated Press seeking comment. Several family members of victims of nan shooting did not respond to telephone messages seeking comment.

The indictments make Arredondo, who was nan on-site commandant during nan attack, and Gonzales nan first officers to look criminal charges successful 1 of nan deadliest schoolhouse shootings successful U.S. history. A scathing study by Texas lawmakers that examined nan constabulary consequence described Gonzales arsenic 1 of nan first officers to participate nan building aft nan shooting began.

The indictments were kept nether seal until nan men were successful custody. It was unclear erstwhile Arredondo’s indictment would beryllium publically released.

Over 2 years ago, an 18-year-old gunman opened occurrence successful a 4th people classroom, wherever he remained for much than 70 minutes earlier officers confronted and killed him. In total, 376 rule enforcement officers massed astatine Robb Elementary School connected May 24, 2022, immoderate waiting successful nan hallway extracurricular nan classroom, moreover arsenic nan gunman could beryllium heard firing an AR-15-style firearm inside.

“Today is different time successful an impossibly achy journey,” authorities Rep. Joe Moody, who helped nan authorities lawmakers investigation, posted connected nan societal level X. “The wounded for them will ne'er subside. Today, I believe that location is justness and immoderate consciousness of closure for them successful this process alternatively than prolonged suffering.”

The agency of a erstwhile lawyer for Arredondo said they did not cognize whether nan erstwhile main has caller representation. The AP could not instantly find a telephone number to scope Gonzales.

Arredondo mislaid his occupation 3 months aft nan shooting. Several officers progressive were yet fired, and abstracted investigations by nan Department of Justice and authorities lawmakers faulted rule enforcement pinch botching their consequence to nan massacre.

Whether immoderate officers would look criminal charges complete their actions successful Uvalde has been a mobility hanging complete nan metropolis of 15,000 since nan Texas Rangers completed their investigation and turned their findings complete to prosecutors.

Mitchell’s agency has besides travel nether scrutiny. Uvalde metropolis officials revenge a suit successful 2022 that accused prosecutors of not being transparent and withholding records related to nan shooting. Media outlets, including nan AP, besides sued Uvalde officials for withholding records requested nether nationalist accusation laws.

But assemblage camera footage, investigations by journalists and damning authorities reports person laid bare really complete nan people of complete an hour, a wide of officers went successful and retired of nan schoolhouse pinch weapons drawn but did not spell wrong nan schoolroom wherever nan shooting was taking place. The hundreds of officers astatine nan segment included authorities police, Uvalde police, schoolhouse officers and U.S. Border Patrol agents.

In their July 2022 report, Texas lawmakers faulted rule enforcement astatine each level pinch failing “to prioritize redeeming guiltless lives complete their ain safety.” The Justice Department released its ain study successful January that elaborate “cascading failures” by constabulary successful waiting acold excessively agelong to face nan gunman, acting pinch “no urgency” successful establishing a bid station and communicating inaccurate accusation to grieving families.

Uvalde remains divided betwixt residents who opportunity they want to move past nan calamity and others who still want answers and accountability. During nan first mayoral title since nan shooting, locals voted successful a man who had served arsenic politician much than a decade agone complete a mother who led calls for tougher weapon laws aft her girl was killed successful nan attack.

Robb Elementary School is now permanently closed. The metropolis collapsed crushed connected a caller schoolhouse successful October 2023.