Uvalde Schools Police Chief Arredondo facing lawsuit, firing

Aug 24, 2022

Ryan Robertson Anchor/Investigative Reporter

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor/Investigative Reporter)

It’s been three months since a gunman in Uvalde, Texas used a rifle to kill 19 children and two teachers. Now, residents and the school board are looking to hold people to account.

Law enforcement was on the scene within minutes of when the shooter first entered Robb Elementary. However, it took more than an hour before the heavily armed police went into the classroom where fourth graders were being murdered.

The Uvalde Independent School District is now considering firing the district’s police chief. Pete Arredondo has been on administrative leave since July. An investigation into the shooting and the police response found Arredondo failed to take charge during the May 24 tragedy, he should have ordered a breach of the classroom sooner, and he wasted time looking for a key to the unlocked classroom door.

If the school board fires Arredondo, he will be the first law enforcement officer to face punishment for action, or inaction, during the shooting.

But losing a job isn’t Arredondo’s only concern. A San Francisco-based attorney announced this week he’s filing a class action lawsuit on behalf of some of the families in Uvalde who lost loved ones.

Charles Bonner is filing a $27 billion civil rights lawsuit. Bonner said the victims’ 14^th Amendment right to life was disregarded. It’s expected the lawsuit will name the school district’s police force, the city police, sheriff’s office, Texas Rangers, Texas Department of Public Safety, the Border Patrol and the manufacturer of the type of gun used by the shooter.

Bonner said he’ll file the lawsuit in September, when the Department of Justice’s investigation into the shooting is complete.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Tags: Society at Large

IT’S BEEN THREE MONTHS SINCE A GUNMAN IN UVALDE TEXAS USED A RIFLE TO KILL 19 CHILDREN AND TWO TEACHERS.

NOW, RESIDENTS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD ARE LOOKING TO HOLD PEOPLE TO ACCOUNT.

LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS ON THE SCENE WITHIN MINUTES OF WHEN THE SHOOTER FIRST ENTERED ROBB ELEMENTARY. HOWEVER, IT TOOK MORE THAN AN HOUR BEFORE THE HEAVILY ARMORED POLICE WENT INTO THE CLASSROOM WHERE FOURTH GRADERS WERE BEING MURDERED.

THE UVALDE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS NOW CONSIDERING FIRING THE DISTRICT’S POLICE CHIEF. PETE ARREDONDO HAS BEEN ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE SINCE JULY. AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE SHOOTING AND THE POLICE RESPONSE FOUND ARREDONDO FAILED TO TAKE CHARGE DURING THE MAY 24^TH TRAGEDY, HE SHOULD HAVE ORDERED A BREACH OF THE CLASSROOM SOONER, AND HE WASTED TIME LOOKING FOR A KEY TO THE UNLOCKED CLASSROOM DOOR.

IF THE SCHOOL BOARD FIRES ARREDONDO, HE WILL BE THE FIRST LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TO FACE PUNISHMENT FOR THEIR ACTION, OR IN-ACTION, DURING THE SHOOTING.

BUT LOSING A JOB ISN’T ARREDONDO’S ONLY CONCERN.

A SAN FRANCISCO-BASED ATTORNEY ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK HE’S FILING A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ON BEHALF OF SOME OF THE FAMILIES IN UVALDE WHO LOST LOVED ONES.

CHARLES BONNER IS FILING A $27 BILLION CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT. BONNER SAYS THE VICTIMS’ 14^TH AMENDMENT RIGHT TO LIFE WAS DISREGARDED. IT’S EXPECTED THE LAWSUIT WILL NAME THE SCHOOL DISTRICT’S POLICE FORCE, THE CITY POLICE, SHERIFF’S OFFICE, TEXAS RANGERS, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, THE BORDER PATROL AND THE MANUFACTURER OF THE TYPE OF GUN USED BY THE SHOOTER.

BONNER SAYS HE’LL FILE THE LAWSUIT IN SEPTEMBER, WHEN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INVESTIGATION INTO THE SHOOTING IS COMPLETE.