UVALDE, Texas — Uvalde CISD police chief Pete Arredondo is resigning his seat on Uvalde's city council. It was first reported by the Uvalde Leader-News.
Arredondo's resignation comes amid questions of his response to the Robb Elementary School shooting that left 19 students and two teachers dead.
Arredondo was elected to the city council on May 7, then sworn in on May 31, just days after the shooting.
His full resignation letter can be read below:
"To my Uvalde Community,
"As we continue to grieve over the tragedy that occurred on May 24, we pray for the families affected and our entire community. Uvalde has such a rich history of loving and supporting thy neighbor and we must continue to do so. In speaking with other communities that have had similar tragedies, the guidance has been the same - continue to support the families, continue to support our community and, above all, to keep strong in our faith.
"As I think about my life, from growing up as a child and into adulthood, Uvalde has held an attraction that is incredibly unique. At the center of that attraction, is our community members. Together, we will keep Uvalde strong.
"Lastly, after much consideration, it is in the best interest of the community to step down as a member of the City Council for District 3 to minimize further distractions. The Mayor, the City Council and the City Staff must continue to move forward to unite our community, once again.
"God bless Uvalde."
The announcement comes after Arredondo was denied a leave of absence from future city council meetings.
The Uvalde Leader-News says that per city charter, council could've considered his seat vacated upon missing three consecutive meetings, if a prior leave of absence was not granted.
“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," Arredondo told the Leader-News. "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,” Arredondo said.
Last month, frustrated parents also called for Arredondo to be fired from his position with the district during a board meeting.
Arredondo has been on administrative leave with the Uvalde school district since June 22.
“Having Pete still employed, knowing he is incapable of decision-making that saves lives, is terrifying,” Brett Cross told trustees during a public comment period before the meeting moved behind-closed-doors.
Cross helped raise his nephew, Uziyah Garcia, a Robb Elementary student who died in the shooting.
“We were failed by Pete Arredondo,” Cross said. “He failed our kids, teachers, parents and city. By keeping him on your staff, y’all are continuing to fail us.”
One man stood in the crowd holding a red sign with “Fire Pete Arredondo” printed in white, block letters.
Department of Public Safety head Steve McCraw identified Arredondo as commander in charge of law enforcement’s response to the shooting. Arredondo later told the Texas Tribune he never issued any orders or considered himself incident commander.
In a statement, the city says they received the information from the newspaper about Arredondo's resignation, but that they haven't received any confirmation from him personally.
"While it is the right thing to do, no one from the City has seen a letter or any other documentation of his resignation, or spoken to him," the statement said. "When the City receives confirmation of Councilman Arredondo's resignation, the City will address the Council place vacancy."