More than two years after the tragic school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde that claimed the lives of 19 students and two teachers, two of the police officers who were on duty that day have been indicted.
Pete Arredondo, the former police chief of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, and a second officer, who has not been publicly named, were indicted on multiple counts of child endangerment.
Arredondo was arrested on Thursday and later released after posting 10 separate $10,000 bonds, one for each count of child endangerment, according to Uvalde County Sheriff Ruben Nolasco, CBS News Texas reported.
The grand jury indictment includes allegations that Arredondo failed to order the evacuation of the affected school wing promptly, neglected to verify the security of classroom doors, and did not ensure that children were promptly transferred to designated emergency care providers, according to CBS.
Arredondo was terminated from his position three months after the shooting amid heavy scrutiny over the law enforcement response that day.
Uvalde CISD issued a statement to CBS indicating their awareness of the grand jury’s decision and extending sympathies to the victims’ families.
“As we have done and continue to do, we extend our sincerest sympathies to all who lost loved ones,” the statement read. “Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this challenging situation.”
As previously detailed by The Dallas Express, the Department of Justice issued a scathing report in January 2024, criticizing a series of “failures” in the handling of the mass shooting.
However, in March, the City of Uvalde published an independent report stating that local police officers did not breach policy or commit misconduct in their handling of the May 2022 shooting, sparking criticism from various members of the community.
Jesse Prado, the retired officer from the Austin Police Department who conducted the city’s independent investigation, acknowledged that it took longer than usual due to the difficulties of researching and finding information about the tragedy.
Veronica Mata, whose daughter Tess died in the incident, strongly criticized the report’s conclusions, asserting that the officers should feel ashamed of their handling of the shooting.
“You claim they acted in good faith. Is that what you call good faith? They stood there for 77 minutes after receiving call after call,” Mata told ABC News.
In May, a $2 million settlement was reached between the families of the victims, additional survivors, and the City of Uvalde. Attorneys representing the families confirmed that the funds will come from the city’s insurance coverage.
Some families are now pursuing legal action against UPS and FedEx, among other entities, claiming the companies facilitated the transportation of the firearm and trigger accessories used in the attack, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.