Embattled Uvalde police chief Pete Arredondo could lose council seat at next meeting

Embattled Uvalde College District Police Chief Pete Arredondo, who’s been blamed for the failed police response to the bloodbath of 19 youngsters and two lecturers and who doubles as a metropolis council member, might lose his seat on the subsequent metropolis council assembly.

Uvalde’s metropolis council voted to disclaim Arredondo a depart of absence, largely as a result of opposition from residents on Tuesday.

“We don’t need him,” Uvalde resident Kim Hammond stated forcefully at Tuesday’s metropolis council assembly. “We wish him out!”

State investigators have stated Arredondo was the incident commander throughout the taking pictures and is accountable for the “abject failure” to enter the classroom and kill the shooter, ready over an hour and 14 minutes earlier than breaching the classroom door.

Arredondo has already missed two public conferences, claiming he’s had demise threats, in line with the Texas Tribune.

Below a neighborhood Uvalde ordinance, a council member who misses three conferences have to be faraway from workplace. Because the metropolis council voted unanimously to disclaim him a depart of absence, Arredondo may very well be ousted after the subsequent assembly on July 12 if he doesn’t present up.

Uvalde residents Kim Hammond, right, and Donna Torres protest for accountability and the removal of Uvalde schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo, next to the memorial for the victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting, at Uvalde Town Square, Texas, U.S., June 11, 2022.
Uvalde resident Kim Hammond (proper) alerted the mayor and metropolis council to a constitution regulation that may enable them to take away new member Pete Arredondo from his seat for lacking three consecutive conferences.
REUTERS/Lisa Krantz
The Robb Elementary School sign is seen covered in flowers and gifts on June 17, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas.
Arredondo has been blamed for the failed police response to the bloodbath of 19 youngsters and two lecturers.
Brandon Bell/Getty Pictures
Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin, Jr., center, and members of the city council pray during a special emergency city council meeting to reissue the mayor's declaration of a local state of disaster due to the recent school shooting at Robb Elementary School, Tuesday, June 7, 2022.
Uvalde’s metropolis council in the end voted to disclaim Arredondo a depart of absence.
AP/Eric Homosexual

The Uvalde metropolis legal professional didn't instantly reply to The Publish request for the way that course of would play out.

“You possibly can take away him as a result of he’s going to vacate his seat. Your agenda (merchandise) is a choice to not give Arredondo a depart of absence. Why the hell would you?” Hammond stated to cheers from her fellow residents.

Hammond defined to the mayor and metropolis council that she and different residents seemed into recalling Arredondo earlier than realizing they couldn’t as a result of he hasn’t served in his seat for eight months. Additionally they tried to vary the town constitution, earlier than hitting one other roadblock. The constitution has just lately been amended and may’t be modified once more for one more two years.

Uvalde Police Chief Pete Arredondo speaks at a press conference following the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, U.S., May 24, 2022.
Arredondo was the incident commander throughout the taking pictures and is accountable for the “abject failure” to enter the classroom and kill the shooter, investigators stated.
VIA REUTERS

“Let him miss three conferences. He’s my councilman. Don’t waste any extra time on him.”

Earlier than the Could 24 taking pictures, Arredondo ran for and gained a seat on Uvalde’s metropolis council, getting sworn in away from public view days after the bloodbath. He has not attended any council conferences because the taking pictures and has stayed out of the general public eye.

The Uvalde Consolidated Impartial College District introduced Thursday it had positioned Arredondo on administrative depart efficient instantly.

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