Uvalde police chief who delayed officer response to Texas capturing to join City Council

The police chief who reportedly made the call to not immediately send officers into Robb Elementary College to confront a gunman was elected to Uvalde's Metropolis Council just three weeks ago after operating on a platform of communication and outreach to the group. 

Peter Arredondo, the chief of police for the Uvalde Consolidated Impartial School District, stopped not less than 19 officers from breaking into the varsity because the gunman opened fireplace for not less than an hour.

Arredondo believed that the shooter had barricaded himself and that the youngsters weren't under an active threat, Steven McCraw, the director of the Texas Division of Public Safety, stated Friday. 

“From the benefit of hindsight where I’m sitting now, after all, it was not the suitable resolution. It was a flawed determination. Interval. There was no excuse for that,” McCraw said at a information conference. “There were plenty of officers to do what needed to be performed, with one exception, is that the incident commander inside believed he needed more gear and more officers to do a tactical breach at that time."

In accordance with McCraw, Arredondo believed there was no lively threat, so as an alternative of sending officers in, he frolicked discovering keys that might let him into the school. During this time, however, the shooter had unencumbered entry to carry out the attack. Nineteen college students and two lecturers have been killed.

Arredondo was not present amongst law enforcement officers standing with McCraw on Friday, and McCraw did not explicitly name him.

Arredondo didn't immediately return a request for comment by NBC News.

Because the community calls for answers and pieces collectively a shaky and conflicting timeline of occasions, scrutiny has turned to Arredondo, who was born and raised in Uvalde. 

After working as the police captain on the United Unbiased School District in Laredo, Texas, about 140 miles south of Uvalde, Arredondo returned to his hometown in April 2020, when he accepted the place of chief of police for the Uvalde faculty district, in line with the Uvalde Chief-Information.

The former chief, Leo Flores, resigned after being arrested on charges of unlawfully carrying a gun in a bar and threatening an officer, the newspaper reported. 

Arredondo advised the Chief-News that he was desirous to serve the group, saying he was committed to establishing a strong working relationship with the three officers he could be main. 

“We want to be certain we are available wherever we are needed,” Arredondo informed the newspaper.

As Arredondo’s tenure hit two years, his local likability led to a profitable bid for a Metropolis Council seat this month. He beat out three other candidates, garnering practically 70 % of the vote in the Could 7 election, reported the Uvalde Chief-Information. 

The chief campaigned, largely door-to-door, on communication and outreach “to those in need,” the newspaper mentioned. 

“I’m very excited, I'm able to hit the bottom running. I have loads of ideas, and I definitely have loads of drive,” Arredondo instructed the outlet this month.

Arredondo is scheduled to be sworn onto the council on Tuesday, exactly one week after the Uvalde taking pictures.

Safia Samee Ali is a reporter for NBC News Digital, primarily based in Chicago.