UVALDE, Texas – Uvalde school board officials unanimously voted Wednesday to fire Pete Arredondo, the school district’s police chief. The termination came on the three-month anniversary of the massacre that claimed the lives of 21 people and is effective immediately.
Families and audience members in attendance at the special meeting Wednesday were upset the board held their hearing in private, rather than having transparency to have it in public, KSAT reported.
The embattled police chief was placed on leave nearly a month after the shooting, at first with pay and then without.
The meeting is starting now. We know Pete Arredondo and his lawyer will not be here. Families of the victims are all here in solidarity, holding flowers and wearing these orange shirts pic.twitter.com/fHjRztVPZk
— Leigh Waldman (@LeighWaldman) August 24, 2022
In July, Arredondo resigned from his position on the Uvalde City Council less than a month after he was sworn into office amid heavy criticism for his role during the massacre at the hands of an 18-year-old crazed gunman, Law Officer reported.
Meanwhile, also in July, the school board moved toward his termination but the hearing was delayed twice at the request of Arredondo’s attorney.
However, on Wednesday the termination announcement was made immediately following the executive session.
“I move that good cause exists to terminate the non-certified contract of Pete Arredondo, effective immediately,” Laura Perez, Uvalde CISD board member, said.
“All in favor? Motion passes unanimously,” Luis Fernandez, Uvalde CISD board president, said.
No applause or cheers came from the grieving families in attendance once Arredondo’s termination became official, according to KSAT. Instead, they swiftly filed out of the auditorium holding pictures of loved ones who were murdered at the school.
Arredondo was not in attendance at his termination hearing out of concerns over his safety, his attorney, George Hyde, said as part of a 17-page statement, according to Yahoo News.
Hyde claimed that the district did not file proper legal procedures in proceeding with disciplinary action and that follow-up requests for access to district complaints or investigations “have been ignored by the district,” calling the proceedings an “illegal and unconstitutional public lynching.”
