Uvalde police chief who delayed officer response to Texas capturing to affix Metropolis Council

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

Peter Arredondo, the chief of police for the Uvalde Consolidated Independent College District, stopped at the very least 19 officers from breaking into the school because the gunman opened fireplace for at least an hour.

Arredondo believed that the shooter had barricaded himself and that the kids were not underneath an energetic risk, Steven McCraw, the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, stated Friday. 

“From the benefit of hindsight where I’m sitting now, of course, it was not the fitting choice. It was a incorrect resolution. Period. There was no excuse for that,” McCraw stated at a information convention. “There have been plenty of officers to do what needed to be performed, with one exception, is that the incident commander inside believed he needed extra equipment and more officers to do a tactical breach at the moment."

According to McCraw, Arredondo believed there was no active risk, so as a substitute of sending officers in, he spent time discovering keys that will let him into the school. During this time, nonetheless, the shooter had unencumbered access to carry out the attack. Nineteen college students and two academics had been killed.

Arredondo was not present amongst legislation enforcement officers standing with McCraw on Friday, and McCraw did not explicitly title him.

Arredondo didn't instantly return a request for remark by NBC News.

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

After working as the police captain at 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 faculty district, based on the Uvalde Chief-Information.

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

Arredondo told the Leader-News that he was desperate to serve the neighborhood, saying he was dedicated to establishing a robust working relationship with the three officers he can be main. 

“We want to be sure we are available wherever we are wanted,” Arredondo instructed the newspaper.

As Arredondo’s tenure hit two years, his native likability led to a successful bid for a Metropolis Council seat this month. He beat out three other candidates, garnering almost 70 % of the vote in the May 7 election, reported the Uvalde Chief-Information. 

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

“I’m very excited, I'm able to hit the ground working. I've plenty of ideas, and I definitely have loads of drive,” Arredondo advised the outlet this month.

Arredondo is scheduled to be sworn onto the council on Tuesday, exactly one week after the Uvalde taking pictures.

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