Ex-Uvalde school district police chief faces child endangerment charges following fatal shooting of 21 people

Pete Arredondo, the former school district police chief in Uvalde, Texas, who oversaw the response to a 2022 elementary school shooting that killed 21 people, including 19 children, was arrested on a child endangerment charge. Another officer has also been indicted on similar charges. The Justice Department found that poor coordination and training led to a failure in the response to the shooting, with officers retreating instead of engaging the gunman. Arredondo, described as the scene’s de facto commander, faced administrative punishment and was later fired by the school board. His lawyer described him as a victim of the shooting. The community still mourns the loss of the victims, and one parent expressed disappointment that more could have been done to save their loved ones. Arredondo has been released on bond, and it is unclear whether he has legal representation. The school district extended sympathies to all those affected by the tragedy and stated they had no further information on the situation. Despite the arrest, the community continues to grapple with the trauma of the shooting and the loss of the lives of loved ones.

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