New details for arrests of Pete Arredondo, another former Uvalde school officer
UVALDE, Texas - The first criminal charges have been filed over the law enforcement response to the Robb Elementary School shooting, more than two years after the deadly event.
The indictment for former Uvalde CISD Police Chief Pete Arredondo lists 10 counts of abandoning/endangering a child.
Each count named a child survivor. The indictment claims Arredondo, "by act and omission, intentionally, knowingly, recklessly and with criminal negligence," placed the children in "imminent danger of bodily injury, death, physical impairment and mental impairment."
Pete Arredondo (Courtesy: Uvalde County Sheriff's Office)
The indictment accuses Arredondo of failing to identify the incident as an active shooter situation, instead calling SWAT which caused delays. The indictment also claims he failed to follow the active shooter plan developed by the school district by not establishing a command center and by prioritizing evacuation of students over stopping the shooter.
It took 77 minutes for officers to enter a classroom and confront the shooter.
In May, families of the victims announced they had reached a $2 million settlement with the City of Uvalde and would be moving forward with lawsuits against the state and local officials.
"As with the rest of the Uvalde community, we have only just learned about the grand jury decision regarding two indictments being issued. We have no information separate from what is being reported by the media," said a spokesperson for the Uvalde CISD in a statement shared with FOX 7. "As we have done and continue to do, we extend our sincerest sympathies to all who lost loved ones. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this challenging situation."
State Senator Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, also released a statement in response to the indictments, calling for DPS to be held accountable, as well.
"What happened in Uvalde two years ago was unthinkable. Nearly 400 officers failed to confront a teenager with an AR-15 for 77 agonizing minutes, while children and teachers endured terror while officers armed to the teeth huddled in hallways and outside the building. The gross incompetence of the Texas Department of Public Safety and their cowardice will forever be a stain on this tragedy. The top law enforcement agency in the State of Texas must answer for grave errors in judgment and for lying every single day to the public about how the massacre unfolded. From falsely blaming a teacher for propping open a door to pinning the entire catastrophe on one ignorant officer, the Texas Department of Public Safety has done nothing in Uvalde but cover up for their abject failure. We must get to the core of the cover-up and have the truth, so that this never happens again. Every single officer that stood down that day must be held accountable, from Pete Arredondo all the way up to Steve McCraw. We can’t rest until we have justice. The top law enforcement agency in the State of Texas must answer for grave errors in judgment and for lying every single day to the public about how the massacre unfolded."
MORE STORIES:
- Pete Arredondo, former Uvalde school police chief, indicted by grand jury
- Uvalde school shooting victims' families reach $2 million settlement with city
- Families outraged by findings from independent investigation
FOX 7 reached out to DPS for a response and has not heard back.
Arredondo turned himself into the Uvalde County Jail on Thursday and was released on bond.
Another former school district police officer, Adrian Gonzalez, was also named in an indictment. The details of the indictment have not yet been made clear.
According to the Uvalde County Sheriff's Office, Gonzales turned himself in on Friday, June 28. He was arrested on 29 charges of child endangerment.
He posted his $10,000 bail, and was released from the Uvalde County Jail.
Adrian Gonzales (Courtesy: Uvalde County Sheriff's Office)
A criminal defense attorney FOX 7 spoke to said in a trial, the defense’s strategy will most likely involve convincing the jury that Arredondo did not act "recklessly" in his response to the shooting.
The attorney also noted it’s very easy to go back to a grand jury and amend or add to the existing charges.
It is unclear if additional charges will be brought against other members of law enforcement.