Ex-Uvalde school police chief Pete Arredondo pleads not guilty to child endangerment
UVALDE, Texas - Former Uvalde CISD police chief Pete Arredondo has entered a not guilty plea in the criminal child endangerment case against him.
On Tuesday, Arredondo waived his pre-trial arraignment and entered a not guilty plea, court records show.
Arredondo was the on-site commander for the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on May 24, 2022.
19 children and two teachers were killed when a gunman entered a classroom with an AR-15-style rifle and opened fire.
Texas judge orders sheriff, school district to release Uvalde school shooting records
The school district and sheriff’s office in Uvalde must release their records and documents related to the Robb Elementary School shooting — including police body camera footage, 911 calls and communications, a Texas district court judge ruled.
More than 370 federal, state and local officers waited more than 70 minutes to confront the shooter.
Arredondo was indicted last month on 10 state felony counts of abandoning or endangering a child.
He turned himself in to the jail and bonded out shortly after.
Adrian Gonzalez (left) and Pete Arredondo (right)
Arrendondo and ex-Uvalde CISD police officer Adrian Gonzalez were the first two people charged in connection to the deadly shooting.
Gonzalez is scheduled to have a pre-trial hearing on July 25.
Uvalde Department of Justice Report
Earlier this year, the Department of Justice released a nearly 600-page report detailing the ‘cascading failures’ by law enforcement on May 24, 2022.
Nearly 400 law enforcement officials responded to the campus, but waited for 77 minutes before entering the classroom and killing the 18-year-old shooter.
The report talked about the vast array of problems from failed communication and leadership, to the inadequate training and technology used by police.
A private investigator hired by the city cleared Uvalde city police of missteps.
Austin-based investigator Jesse Prado presented his findings this March.
Prado stated the department did not commit any wrongdoing or violate any policy.
Uvalde School Shooting Victims
19 Robb Elementary students were killed in the shooting.
- Xavier Javier Lopez, 10
- Amerie Jo Garza, 10
- Uziyah Garcia, 8
- Rojelio Torres, 10
- Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10
- Nevaeh Bravo, 10
- Makenna Lee Elrod, 10
- Eliahana 'Elijah Cruz' Torres, 10
- Eliana 'Ellie' Garcia, 9
- Alithia Ramirez, 10
- Jacklyn "Jackie" Cazares, 9
- Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10
- Jailah Nicole Silguero, 11
- Jose Flores Jr, 10
- Alexandria "Lexi" Aniyah Rubio, 10
- Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, 10
- Tess "Tessy" Marie Mata, 10
- Maranda Gail Mathis, 11
- Layla Salazar, 10
Fourth-grade co-teachers 48-year-old Irma Garcia and 44-year-old Eva Mireles were also killed. Family members said at the time both died trying to protect their students.