The Texas House report claimed that Arredondo was the on-site incident commander. And he is heavily criticized for all of law enforcement’s disastrous response. He said in an interview with the Texas Tribune that he was not in charge.
Arredondo, 50, was head of the six-member school police force. Although the CISD is responsible for keeping Uvalde schools safe, there were a myriad of other police agencies present that day at Robb Elementary. Arredondo has been singled out and some say is the scapegoat for all police and state officials.
In the grief-stricken Texas town, the families are angry that it took authorities more than an hour to breach the classroom and kill the gunman. But they are also upset because they have been largely excluded from the investigations of the police response.
“There is an anxiousness in my heart that is only worsened by the fear my children have,” said Rachel Martinez, a parent of four children. “I think no one person here today can deny there was a massive failure on May 24. Where these failures lie is the question.”
