Uvalde police chief who delayed officer response to Texas capturing to affix Metropolis Council

The police chief who reportedly made the decision not to instantly ship officers into Robb Elementary College to confront a gunman was elected to Uvalde's City Council just three weeks ago after operating on a platform of communication and outreach to the community. 

Peter Arredondo, the chief of police for the Uvalde Consolidated Impartial School District, stopped a minimum of 19 officers from breaking into the school because the gunman opened hearth for at least an hour.

Arredondo believed that the shooter had barricaded himself and that the kids were not beneath an lively risk, Steven McCraw, the director of the Texas Department of Public Security, mentioned Friday. 

“From the good thing about hindsight where I’m sitting now, of course, it was not the fitting determination. It was a unsuitable choice. Period. There was no excuse for that,” McCraw said at a news conference. “There have been plenty of officers to do what needed to be completed, with one exception, is that the incident commander inside believed he wanted extra equipment and extra officers to do a tactical breach at the moment."

In accordance with McCraw, Arredondo believed there was no active risk, so instead of sending officers in, he frolicked discovering keys that may let him into the school. Throughout this time, nonetheless, the shooter had unencumbered entry to carry out the attack. Nineteen students and two lecturers were killed.

Arredondo was not present among legislation enforcement officials standing with McCraw on Friday, and McCraw didn't explicitly name him.

Arredondo did not instantly return a request for comment by NBC News.

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

After working because the police captain on the United Independent School District in Laredo, Texas, about 140 miles south of Uvalde, Arredondo returned to his hometown in April 2020, when he accepted the position of chief of police for the Uvalde college district, in line with the Uvalde Leader-Information.

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

Arredondo informed the Chief-Information that he was desperate to serve the community, saying he was dedicated to establishing a strong working relationship with the three officers he would be leading. 

“We want to ensure we are available wherever we're wanted,” Arredondo told the newspaper.

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

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

“I’m very excited, I am able to hit the ground running. I've plenty of ideas, and I undoubtedly have plenty of drive,” Arredondo advised the outlet this month.

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

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