Family members of the victims have expressed relief at the decision while Arredondo’s lawyer said he should be praised for saving lives.
The Uvalde School District board voted unanimously to fire police chief Pete Arredondo on Wednesday following pressure over his actions during the Robb Elementary School shooting in May.
The police response to the Texas shooting, which led to the deaths of 19 children and two teachers, has been under close scrutiny since the May 24 massacre.
Parents have criticized Arredondo, the school district police chief, as officers waited more than 70 minutes to confront the 18-year-old gunman, Salvador Ramos, who was armed with an AR-15-style rifle.
Following the vote by the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District’s board of trustees, parents and family members of the children killed expressed their relief but also their frustration at the situation.
Ruben Torres, the father of Chloe Torres, who survived the shooting, said he did not understand why officers did not take action when leadership failed, according to an Associated Press report.
