Termination hearing for Uvalde School District police chief delayed — again

Embattled Uvalde school district Police Chief Pete Arredondo will remain on unpaid leave after a termination hearing set for Thursday was delayed due to a “scheduling conflict,” CNN reports, citing district officials.

Wednesday’s announcement marks the second time a school board vote whether to fire Arredondo has been rescheduled. His initial hearing was slated for July 23 but was pushed back at the request of his attorney.

Officials and the public have excoriated Arredondo for his oversight of the police response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School, where a gunman murdered 19 children and two teachers in May.

Officers waited 77 minutes to enter a classroom and kill the perpetrator even though police began arriving on the scene mere moments after the first shots were fired, according to a Texas Department of Public Safety timeline.

In body cam footage released to the public, Arredondo is seen giving orders to other law enforcement personnel, leading many to identify him as the on-scene commander. Arredondo insists he didn’t consider himself to be leading the response.

District officials have not yet released a new date for Arredondo’s termination hearing.

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This article appears in Jul 27 – Aug 9, 2022.