Uvalde police chief who delayed officer response to Texas taking pictures to hitch Metropolis Council

The police chief who reportedly made the decision to not instantly ship officers into Robb Elementary College to confront a gunman was elected to Uvalde's Metropolis Council just three weeks ago after running on a platform of communication and outreach to the community. 

Peter Arredondo, the chief of police for the Uvalde Consolidated Impartial College District, stopped at least 19 officers from breaking into the varsity as the gunman opened fireplace for at least an hour.

Arredondo believed that the shooter had barricaded himself and that the kids weren't under an energetic risk, Steven McCraw, the director of the Texas Division of Public Safety, mentioned Friday. 

“From the advantage of hindsight the place I’m sitting now, of course, it was not the suitable resolution. It was a unsuitable determination. Interval. There was no excuse for that,” McCraw mentioned at a news conference. “There were loads of officers to do what wanted to be done, with one exception, is that the incident commander inside believed he needed extra tools and extra officers to do a tactical breach at the moment."

In accordance with McCraw, Arredondo believed there was no lively menace, so instead of sending officers in, he hung out finding keys that may let him into the varsity. During this time, nevertheless, the shooter had unencumbered entry to hold out the attack. Nineteen college students and two lecturers had been killed.

Arredondo was not current amongst legislation enforcement officials standing with McCraw on Friday, and McCraw did not explicitly identify him.

Arredondo did not immediately return a request for remark by NBC News.

Because the community calls for answers and items together a shaky and conflicting timeline of events, scrutiny has turned to Arredondo, who was born and raised in Uvalde. 

After working because the police captain on the United Independent College District in Laredo, Texas, about 140 miles south of Uvalde, Arredondo returned to his hometown in April 2020, when he accepted the position of chief of police for the Uvalde school district, in accordance with the Uvalde Leader-Information.

The former chief, Leo Flores, resigned after being arrested on costs of unlawfully carrying a gun in a bar and threatening an officer, the newspaper reported. 

Arredondo instructed the Leader-News that he was wanting to serve the neighborhood, saying he was committed to establishing a robust working relationship with the three officers he could be leading. 

“We need to make certain we are available wherever we're wanted,” Arredondo instructed the newspaper.

As Arredondo’s tenure hit two years, his local likability led to a successful bid for a City Council seat this month. He beat out three other candidates, garnering almost 70 % of the vote within the Could 7 election, reported the Uvalde Chief-Information. 

The chief campaigned, largely door-to-door, on communication and outreach “to these in need,” the newspaper mentioned. 

“I’m very excited, I am able to hit the ground running. I've plenty of ideas, and I definitely have loads of drive,” Arredondo advised the outlet this month.

Arredondo is scheduled to be sworn onto the council on Tuesday, exactly one week after the Uvalde taking pictures.

Safia Samee Ali is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in Chicago.