Uvalde police chief who delayed officer response to Texas shooting to hitch City Council

The police chief who reportedly made the decision to not instantly ship officers into Robb Elementary College to confront a gunman was elected to Uvalde's City Council just three weeks in the past after operating on a platform of communication and outreach to the community. 

Peter Arredondo, the chief of police for the Uvalde Consolidated Impartial College District, stopped not less than 19 officers from breaking into the college because the gunman opened fire for a minimum of an hour.

Arredondo believed that the shooter had barricaded himself and that the youngsters weren't underneath an lively threat, Steven McCraw, the director of the Texas Division of Public Safety, stated Friday. 

“From the benefit of hindsight the place I’m sitting now, after all, it was not the fitting determination. It was a wrong resolution. Period. There was no excuse for that,” McCraw stated at a information conference. “There have been plenty of officers to do what needed to be executed, with one exception, is that the incident commander inside believed he wanted extra equipment and more officers to do a tactical breach at that time."

In keeping with McCraw, Arredondo believed there was no energetic risk, so as an alternative of sending officers in, he spent time discovering keys that will let him into the school. During this time, nevertheless, the shooter had unencumbered entry to hold out the attack. Nineteen college students and two academics have been killed.

Arredondo was not current amongst legislation enforcement officials standing with McCraw on Friday, and McCraw didn't explicitly title him.

Arredondo didn't immediately return a request for comment by NBC News.

Because the group calls for answers and pieces collectively a shaky and conflicting timeline of occasions, scrutiny has turned to Arredondo, who was born and raised in Uvalde. 

After working as the police captain on the United Unbiased Faculty District in Laredo, Texas, about 140 miles south of Uvalde, Arredondo returned to his hometown in April 2020, when he accepted the position of chief of police for the Uvalde college district, in response to the Uvalde Leader-News.

The previous chief, Leo Flores, resigned after being arrested on charges of unlawfully carrying a gun in a bar and threatening an officer, the newspaper reported. 

Arredondo told the Leader-Information that he was desirous to serve the group, saying he was committed to establishing a robust working relationship with the three officers he can be leading. 

“We need to be certain we are available wherever we're needed,” Arredondo told the newspaper.

As Arredondo’s tenure hit two years, his local likability led to a successful bid for a Metropolis Council seat this month. He beat out three other candidates, garnering practically 70 percent of the vote within the Could 7 election, reported the Uvalde Leader-News. 

The chief campaigned, largely door-to-door, on communication and outreach “to these in want,” the newspaper stated. 

“I’m very excited, I am able to hit the bottom working. I've loads of concepts, and I undoubtedly have plenty of drive,” Arredondo told the outlet this month.

Arredondo is scheduled to be sworn onto the council on Tuesday, precisely one week after the Uvalde capturing.

Safia Samee Ali is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based mostly in Chicago.