County commissioners in Uvalde, Texas, voted 3-0 on Monday to launch an independent review of actions to respond to sheriff’s duties during the massacre. Rob Elementary School In May in which 19 students and two teachers were killed.
County Commissioner John Yeckley said the initiative was to ensure residents received a comprehensive report they could rely on to see how they fared with the sheriff’s office that day. The review will also address the sheriff’s office policies and procedures, he said, adding that the office lacks an active shooter policy.
“We didn’t have an active shooter policy in the county. It’s not surprising because many small communities never think this will happen to them and there is no written policy to that effect,” he said. “This will be something that will definitely have to be addressed going forward.”
Yeckle also said that based on previously released videos showing officers at the shooting site, “no one knew who was in charge.”
At the meeting, some members of the public addressed their frustrations that the investigation was slow, as did response officers from several agencies on what they did and didn’t do during the May 24 massacre.
Brett Krauss, father of 10-year-old Ujiah Garcia, who was killed in the shooting, spoke at the meeting. After that the police and government officials have not been held accountable, he said.
“It’s a constant slap in the face every single day because no one is taking accountability , There is no one,” he said. “Everybody wants to run and hide and blame this and blame it on him. The fact is that the city failed us. School failed us. This county has failed us.”
Cross and others who spoke during the meeting on Monday strongly criticized County Commissioner Mariano Pargas, who was not present during the vote.
Cross said at the meeting: “We have a county commissioner who was at the scene, he didn’t do any wrong. And he still has his position. He didn’t show up today.”
Earlier this month, Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin announced that Pargas, who is also Uvalde’s acting police chief, had been placed on leave as the city launched an investigation into his and his officers’ response.
In a statement, McLaughlin said the city’s investigation would “investigate whether Lt Pargas was responsible for taking over command on May 24, what specific actions Lt Pargas took to establish that command, and whether it was possible that there was a need for such a command.” all agencies involved and other potential policy violations.”
Pargas could not be immediately reached for comment on Monday. No one could be reached with the Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office.
County Commissioner Ronald Garza told NBC News he has yet to determine which consulting firm will conduct an independent review.
Uvalde Public School Board on Friday special meeting Initially scheduled to discuss the possible firing on Saturday Police Chief, Pete Arredondo,
The board cited Arredondo’s right to defend his actions during the mass shootings amid a disorganized multi-agency law enforcement response.
District spokeswoman Anne Marie Espinoza said in a statement: “In line with due process requirements, and at the request of her attorney, the meeting will be held at a later date to consider the termination of Chief Arredondo, which has yet to be determined.” Is.”
The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District placed Arredondo on paid leave on June 22 amid several investigations into delays by law enforcement.
On Monday, Rob Elementary Principal Mandy Gutierrez’s attorney, Ricardo G. Cedillo confirmed that he had been placed on administrative leave by the district superintendent, for reasons not disclosed by the school head.
The school has been criticized because a lockset apparently in disarray – it would not latch – may have allowed the shooter to enter the first grade occupied that day.
The Texas House Committee’s report on alleged failures by police and the school district before and during the attack said school administrators were aware of the locks but did not order repairs or replacements.
The report said the campus was, in fact, home to a “culture of non-compliance”, where some teachers flouted rules by opening open doors instead of making sure they were locked.
And when the school announced its lockdown during the attack, some teachers received delayed notices because the campus had poor Wi-Fi, the legislative report said. According to the document, administrators could have used the campus intercom system, but this did not happen.
A spokesman for the district did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Monday.
felt about it 77 minutes Between the first officers arriving and when law enforcement finally took the shooter out.
Texas Department of Public Safety director Steve McCraw has blamed Arredondo, whom he called the incident commander. Arredondo’s department has six employees sworn in, but several larger agencies, including the DPS and the US Border Patrol, were present at the scene.
McCraw said three days after the shooting, “There were too many officers to do this, with one exception, which is that the inside incident commander believed at the time to commit a tactical breach.” For that it needed more equipment and more officers.”
Arredondo defended himself, saying he did not know he was supposed to be the incident commander, and went to the classroom where the shots were being fired where he thought he could help.
However, he left his radio behind, and stood as the key to a classroom door, which took up precious time.
Early July, Arredondo resigned his elected city council seat About a month after the swearing-in.
that legislative report It also blamed “systemic failures and seriously poor decision-making” by law enforcement and the school district.
“The scene was chaotic, without any person clearly in charge or directing law enforcement response,” it noted.