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Indictment accuses former Uvalde schools police chief of delays while shooter was 'hunting' children

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Indictment accuses former Uvalde schools police chief of delays while shooter was 'hunting' children
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Indictment accuses former Uvalde schools police chief of delays while shooter was 'hunting' children

2024-06-29 06:05 Last Updated At:06:10

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The police chief for schools in Uvalde, Texas, failed to identify an active shooting, did not follow his training and made critical decisions that slowed the law enforcement response to stop a gunman who was “hunting” victims and ultimately killed 21 people at Robb Elementary, according to an indictment unsealed Friday.

Pete Arredondo was arrested and briefly booked into the Uvalde County jail before being released Thursday night on 10 state jail felony counts of abandoning or endangering a child in the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers.

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This booking image provided by Uvalde County, Texas, Sheriff's Office shows Adrian Gonzales, a former police officer for schools in Uvalde, Texas, who was arrested and booked into jail before he was released Friday, June 28, 2024, on 29 charges of abandoning or endangering a child in the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers. (Uvalde County Sheriff's Office via AP)

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The police chief for schools in Uvalde, Texas, failed to identify an active shooting, did not follow his training and made critical decisions that slowed the law enforcement response to stop a gunman who was “hunting” victims and ultimately killed 21 people at Robb Elementary, according to an indictment unsealed Friday.

This combo of booking images provided by Uvalde County, Texas, Sheriff's Office, shows Pete Arredondo, left, the former police chief for schools in Uvalde, Texas, and Adrian Gonzales, a former police officer for schools in Uvalde, Texas, Both men were arrested and booked into jail before they were released on charges related to the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers at at Robb Elementary. (Uvalde County Sheriff's Office via AP)

This combo of booking images provided by Uvalde County, Texas, Sheriff's Office, shows Pete Arredondo, left, the former police chief for schools in Uvalde, Texas, and Adrian Gonzales, a former police officer for schools in Uvalde, Texas, Both men were arrested and booked into jail before they were released on charges related to the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers at at Robb Elementary. (Uvalde County Sheriff's Office via AP)

This photo provided by Uvalde County Sheriff's Office shows Pete Arredondo. Arredondo, the former police chief for schools in Uvalde, Texas, was arrested and briefly booked into ail before he was released Thursday, June 27, 2024, on 10 state jail felony counts of abandoning or endangering a child in the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers.(Uvalde County Sheriff's Office via AP)

This photo provided by Uvalde County Sheriff's Office shows Pete Arredondo. Arredondo, the former police chief for schools in Uvalde, Texas, was arrested and briefly booked into ail before he was released Thursday, June 27, 2024, on 10 state jail felony counts of abandoning or endangering a child in the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers.(Uvalde County Sheriff's Office via AP)

FILE - Uvalde School Police Chief Pete Arredondo, third from left, stands during a news conference outside of the Robb Elementary school on May 26, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas. Arredondo was arrested and briefly booked into the Uvalde County jail before he was released Thursday, June 27, 2024, on 10 state jail felony counts of abandoning or endangering a child in the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills, File)

FILE - Uvalde School Police Chief Pete Arredondo, third from left, stands during a news conference outside of the Robb Elementary school on May 26, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas. Arredondo was arrested and briefly booked into the Uvalde County jail before he was released Thursday, June 27, 2024, on 10 state jail felony counts of abandoning or endangering a child in the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills, File)

FILE - In this photo from surveillance video provided by the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District via the Austin American-Statesman, authorities stage in a hallway as they respond to the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, May 24, 2022. The former Uvalde schools police chief and another former officer have been indicted over their role in the slow police response to the 2022 massacre in a Texas elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead, according to multiple reports Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District/Austin American-Statesman via AP, File)

FILE - In this photo from surveillance video provided by the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District via the Austin American-Statesman, authorities stage in a hallway as they respond to the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, May 24, 2022. The former Uvalde schools police chief and another former officer have been indicted over their role in the slow police response to the 2022 massacre in a Texas elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead, according to multiple reports Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District/Austin American-Statesman via AP, File)

FILE - A Uvalde police officers patch and badge is seen as he stands watch over a special city council meeting in Uvalde, Texas, March 7, 2024. The former Uvalde schools police chief and another former officer have been indicted over their role in the slow police response to the 2022 massacre in a Texas elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead, according to multiple reports Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

FILE - A Uvalde police officers patch and badge is seen as he stands watch over a special city council meeting in Uvalde, Texas, March 7, 2024. The former Uvalde schools police chief and another former officer have been indicted over their role in the slow police response to the 2022 massacre in a Texas elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead, according to multiple reports Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

Indictment accuses former Uvalde schools police chief of delays while shooter was "hunting" children

Indictment accuses former Uvalde schools police chief of delays while shooter was "hunting" children

FILE - Reggie Daniels pays his respects a memorial at Robb Elementary School, June 9, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas, created to honor the victims killed in the school shooting. The former Uvalde schools police chief and another former officer have been indicted over their role in the slow police response to the 2022 massacre in a Texas elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead, according to multiple reports Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

FILE - Reggie Daniels pays his respects a memorial at Robb Elementary School, June 9, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas, created to honor the victims killed in the school shooting. The former Uvalde schools police chief and another former officer have been indicted over their role in the slow police response to the 2022 massacre in a Texas elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead, according to multiple reports Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

Indictment accuses former Uvalde schools police chief of delays while shooter was "hunting" children

Indictment accuses former Uvalde schools police chief of delays while shooter was "hunting" children

Former school officer Adrian Gonzales, one of the first officers to enter the building after the shooting began, was indicted on 29 similar charges that accuse him of abandoning his training and not confronting the shooter, even after hearing gunshots as he stood in a hallway. Gonzales was booked into jail briefly Friday and released on bond.

Arredondo, 52, and Gonzales, 51, are the first officers to be criminally charged for the police response to one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history, and the indictments from a Uvalde County grand jury follow two years of calls from some families for such action. Some victims' relatives said Friday that while they are happy Arredondo and Gonzales were indicted, they want more officers to be charged.

“They decided to indict only two. That’s hard for me to accept,” said Jesse Rizo, whose niece Jacklyn Cazares was among the students killed.

In a statement, an attorney for Gonzales called the charges against law enforcement “unprecedented in the state of Texas.”

“Mr. Gonzales’ position is he did not violate school district policy or state law,” said Nico LaHood, the former district attorney for Bexar County, which includes San Antonio.

Arredondo does not have a listed phone number and the court clerk had no record of an attorney for him.

The first U.S. law enforcement officer ever tried for allegedly failing to act during an on-campus shooting was a sheriff’s deputy in Florida who didn’t go into the classroom building and confront the perpetrator of the 2018 Parkland massacre. The deputy was acquitted of felony neglect last year. A lawsuit by the victims’ families and survivors is pending.

The indictment against Arredondo, who was the on-site commander at the Uvalde shooting, accused the chief of delaying the police response despite hearing gunshots and being notified that injured children were in the classrooms and that a teacher had been shot. Arredondo called for a SWAT team, ordered the initial responding officers to leave the building, and attempted to negotiate with the 18-year-old gunman, the indictment said.

“After being advised that a child or children were injured in a class at Robb Elementary School (Arredondo) failed to identify the incident as an active shooter incident and failed to respond as trained to an active shooter incident and instead directed law enforcement officers to evacuate the wing before confronting the shooter thereby delaying the response by law enforcement officers to an active shooter who was hunting and shooting a child or children,” the indictment said.

The actions and inactions by both Arredondo and Gonzales amounted to “criminal negligence,” the indictments said.

More than 370 federal, state and local officers converged on Robb Elementary, but they waited more than 70 minutes before confronting the shooter, even as the gunman could be heard firing an AR-15-style rifle. Terrified students inside the classroom called 911 as parents begged officers — some of whom could hear shots being fired while they stood in a hallway — to go in. A tactical team of officers eventually went into the classroom and killed the shooter.

“I want every single person who was in the hallway charged for failure to protect the most innocent," Velma Duran, whose sister Irma Garcia was one of the teachers killed, said Friday. "My sister put her body in front of those children to protect them, something they could have done. They had the means and the tools to do it.”

It was unclear whether the grand jury considered indictments against any others.

Arredondo is accused of failing to protect survivors of the attack, including Khloie Torres, who called 911 and begged for help, telling a dispatcher, “Please hurry. There’s a lot of dead bodies. Some of my teachers are still alive but they’re shot.”

Gonzales' indictment charges him with failing to protect children who were killed as well as survivors.

Although the investigative report by Texas lawmakers identified Gonzales as one the first officers to go in the the building, it also identified two other officers who allegedly heard gunfire. It is unclear whether those officers were part of the grand jury’s investigation.

“After hearing gun shots and being advised of the general location of the shooter and having time to respond to the shooter, (Gonzeles) failed to follow, engage, distract or delay the shooter” and “failed to respond to respond to gun fire," the indictment said.

The charges carry up to two years in jail if convicted.

In an interview with the Texas Tribune two weeks after the shooting, Arredondo insisted he took the steps he believed would best protect the lives of students and teachers.

“My mind was to get there as fast as possible, eliminate any threats, and protect the students and staff," he told the newspaper.

Since then, scathing state and federal investigative reports on the police response have catalogued “cascading failures” in training, communication, leadership and technology problems.

Arredondo lost his job and several other officers were eventually fired. Separate investigations by the Department of Justice and state lawmakers alleged law enforcement botched the response.

Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, said the investigation should not stop with the indictments against Arredondo and Gonzales. Gutierrez has been critical of the Texas Department of Public Safety and its head, Steve McCraw. That department had more than 90 officers at the school — more than any other agency — and McCraw testified before the grand jury in February.

“Every single officer that stood down that day must be held accountable," Gutierrez said. "We can’t rest until we have justice.”

Associated Press journalist Terry Spencer in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., contributed to this report

This booking image provided by Uvalde County, Texas, Sheriff's Office shows Adrian Gonzales, a former police officer for schools in Uvalde, Texas, who was arrested and booked into jail before he was released Friday, June 28, 2024, on 29 charges of abandoning or endangering a child in the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers. (Uvalde County Sheriff's Office via AP)

This booking image provided by Uvalde County, Texas, Sheriff's Office shows Adrian Gonzales, a former police officer for schools in Uvalde, Texas, who was arrested and booked into jail before he was released Friday, June 28, 2024, on 29 charges of abandoning or endangering a child in the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers. (Uvalde County Sheriff's Office via AP)

This combo of booking images provided by Uvalde County, Texas, Sheriff's Office, shows Pete Arredondo, left, the former police chief for schools in Uvalde, Texas, and Adrian Gonzales, a former police officer for schools in Uvalde, Texas, Both men were arrested and booked into jail before they were released on charges related to the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers at at Robb Elementary. (Uvalde County Sheriff's Office via AP)

This combo of booking images provided by Uvalde County, Texas, Sheriff's Office, shows Pete Arredondo, left, the former police chief for schools in Uvalde, Texas, and Adrian Gonzales, a former police officer for schools in Uvalde, Texas, Both men were arrested and booked into jail before they were released on charges related to the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers at at Robb Elementary. (Uvalde County Sheriff's Office via AP)

This photo provided by Uvalde County Sheriff's Office shows Pete Arredondo. Arredondo, the former police chief for schools in Uvalde, Texas, was arrested and briefly booked into ail before he was released Thursday, June 27, 2024, on 10 state jail felony counts of abandoning or endangering a child in the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers.(Uvalde County Sheriff's Office via AP)

This photo provided by Uvalde County Sheriff's Office shows Pete Arredondo. Arredondo, the former police chief for schools in Uvalde, Texas, was arrested and briefly booked into ail before he was released Thursday, June 27, 2024, on 10 state jail felony counts of abandoning or endangering a child in the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers.(Uvalde County Sheriff's Office via AP)

FILE - Uvalde School Police Chief Pete Arredondo, third from left, stands during a news conference outside of the Robb Elementary school on May 26, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas. Arredondo was arrested and briefly booked into the Uvalde County jail before he was released Thursday, June 27, 2024, on 10 state jail felony counts of abandoning or endangering a child in the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills, File)

FILE - Uvalde School Police Chief Pete Arredondo, third from left, stands during a news conference outside of the Robb Elementary school on May 26, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas. Arredondo was arrested and briefly booked into the Uvalde County jail before he was released Thursday, June 27, 2024, on 10 state jail felony counts of abandoning or endangering a child in the May 24, 2022, attack that killed 19 children and two teachers. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills, File)

FILE - In this photo from surveillance video provided by the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District via the Austin American-Statesman, authorities stage in a hallway as they respond to the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, May 24, 2022. The former Uvalde schools police chief and another former officer have been indicted over their role in the slow police response to the 2022 massacre in a Texas elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead, according to multiple reports Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District/Austin American-Statesman via AP, File)

FILE - In this photo from surveillance video provided by the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District via the Austin American-Statesman, authorities stage in a hallway as they respond to the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, May 24, 2022. The former Uvalde schools police chief and another former officer have been indicted over their role in the slow police response to the 2022 massacre in a Texas elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead, according to multiple reports Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District/Austin American-Statesman via AP, File)

FILE - A Uvalde police officers patch and badge is seen as he stands watch over a special city council meeting in Uvalde, Texas, March 7, 2024. The former Uvalde schools police chief and another former officer have been indicted over their role in the slow police response to the 2022 massacre in a Texas elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead, according to multiple reports Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

FILE - A Uvalde police officers patch and badge is seen as he stands watch over a special city council meeting in Uvalde, Texas, March 7, 2024. The former Uvalde schools police chief and another former officer have been indicted over their role in the slow police response to the 2022 massacre in a Texas elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead, according to multiple reports Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

Indictment accuses former Uvalde schools police chief of delays while shooter was "hunting" children

Indictment accuses former Uvalde schools police chief of delays while shooter was "hunting" children

FILE - Reggie Daniels pays his respects a memorial at Robb Elementary School, June 9, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas, created to honor the victims killed in the school shooting. The former Uvalde schools police chief and another former officer have been indicted over their role in the slow police response to the 2022 massacre in a Texas elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead, according to multiple reports Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

FILE - Reggie Daniels pays his respects a memorial at Robb Elementary School, June 9, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas, created to honor the victims killed in the school shooting. The former Uvalde schools police chief and another former officer have been indicted over their role in the slow police response to the 2022 massacre in a Texas elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead, according to multiple reports Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

Indictment accuses former Uvalde schools police chief of delays while shooter was "hunting" children

Indictment accuses former Uvalde schools police chief of delays while shooter was "hunting" children

DETROIT (AP) — Cam Davis won the Rocket Mortgage Classic for the second time, closing with a 2-under 70 on Sunday that gave him a one-shot victory when Akshay Bhatia three-putted from 32 feet on the final hole.

Davis, a 29-year-old Australian who won his first PGA Tour title three years ago at Detroit Golf Club, pulled into a tie with Bhatia with a birdie on the par-5 17th hole.

That proved to be enough when Bhatia's 4-foot par attempt on the 18th missed low and left for his first three-putt of the week.

Davis finished at 18-under 270 on a day of missed opportunities for the final pairing of Bhatia and Aaron Rai, each of whom shot an even-par 72. Davis Thompson (68) and Min Woo Lee (69) also finished one shot back.

Davis became the first two-time winner of the event since its debut on the PGA Tour schedule in 2019.

The 22-year-old Bhatia was seeking his third PGA Tour title and second this year after leading or sharing the lead after each of the first three rounds.

Cameron Young shot 73 and plummeted to sixth place with two bogeys over the last three holes. Still winless on the PGA Tour, Young broke his driver in frustration on the 14th tee box.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Akshay Bhatia chips onto the third green during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Akshay Bhatia chips onto the third green during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Cameron Young hits from the fourth tee during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Cameron Young hits from the fourth tee during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Min Woo Lee hits from the fourth tee during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Min Woo Lee hits from the fourth tee during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Luke Clanton hits from the fourth tee during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Luke Clanton hits from the fourth tee during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Aaron Rai hits from the fourth tee during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Aaron Rai hits from the fourth tee during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Erik van Rooyen hits from the fourth tee during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Erik van Rooyen hits from the fourth tee during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Akshay Bhatia hits from the fourth tee during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Akshay Bhatia hits from the fourth tee during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Cam Davis hits from the fourth tee during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Cam Davis hits from the fourth tee during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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