Following Uvalde School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo’s resignation from the city council, the other council members unanimously voted to accept his resignation letter during a routine meeting on Tuesday.
“After much consideration, I regret to inform those who voted for me that I have decided to step down as a member of the city council for District 3,” stated Arredondo in his letter. “The mayor, the city council, and the city staff must continue to move forward without distractions. I feel this is the best decision for Uvalde.”
A special election will be held on November 8 to fill the vacated seat, WFAA News reported.
The Dallas Express previously reported the resignation comes in the wake of criticism Arredondo has received for his involvement in the police response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School, which claimed the lives of 19 students and two teachers.
On the same day as the city council’s decision, security footage was released by the Austin American-Statesman and KVUE news publications, detailing what happened at the school the day of the shooting.
The video, which spans more than an hour, documents what transpired while authorities waited to enter the classroom as the gunman was inside. Both media outlets released it as a service to the public. Certain video parts are blurred out of respect for the victims and their families.
At Tuesday’s city council meeting, Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin referred to the media’s release of the video as “chicken s–t.” He believes the victims’ families deserved to see the footage first.
State Rep. Dustin Burrow planned to publicize the video after his pending meeting with the families on Sunday. However, he was “glad” that the portion of the video was released.
A month-and-a-half after the shooting, the victims’ families and community members are demanding accountability and transparency from law enforcement. As the investigation of the mass shooting and law enforcement response continues, the narrative surrounding the day’s events continues to evolve.