Since the massacre that killed 19 students and two teachers, the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District held its first board meeting on Friday
Law enforcement appears to have been delayed in stopping the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, due to confusion, disorder, and incorrect information.
According to investigators, the gunman remained more than an hour inside the school while cops stood outside waiting. This was due to the fact that the event commander, school district police chief Pete Arredondo, handled the situation more like a barricaded-person situation than an active shooter one.
However, because the investigation is still ongoing, details of exactly what went wrong remain hazy.
Uvalde school authorities discussed whether to fire or suspend any district employees in their first meeting since the May 24 mass shooting at Robb Elementary.
Although some parents anticipated the board to address UCISD police chief Pete Arredondo’s handling of the incident he made the fateful decision to not breach the classroom door where gunman Salvador Ramos was holed up with two classrooms full of kids. Unfortunately, no action was taken against him or any other employee.
Many of the decisions made by school officials were made behind closed doors. Whether trustees discussed Arredondo’s status or response during their executive session is unclear.
“We want answers to where the security is going to take place,” Angela Turner, a Uvalde parent who lost her niece in the shooting, told CNN.
“This was all a joke. I’m so disappointed in our school district.”
The police response to the mass shooting has sparked outrage as it was revealed that Arredondo, who was in charge at the time, held cops back for more than an hour while Ramos killed 19 fourth-graders and two instructors.
Meanwhile, panicked children dialed 911 for assistance from inside the school, as police held frantic parents back outside the school.
After a council meeting was canceled, Arredondo, who was elected to a seat on the council earlier this year, was secretly inducted into office last week.
The board is scheduled to meet again on June 20.
Sources: Westernjournal, Texastribune, UPI