Uvalde police chief resigns following report on mass shooting

His decision came in the wake of a City Council report that saw an independent investigator largely clear police of wrongdoing or other improper actions during the episode.

By Ben Whedon

Published: March 12, 2024 3:44pm

Uvalde Police Chief Daniel Rodriguez on Tuesday announced his resignation.

The city witnessed a major mass shooting in May of 2022 that saw 19 students and two teachers killed at Robb Elementary School. A Department of Justice report in January excoriated law enforcement's handling of the situation and asserted that there had been "cascading failures" in the response.

"After much contemplation and consideration, I believe it is time for me to embark on a new chapter in my career," Rodriguez said, according to NBC News. "I have had the privilege of serving the City of Uvalde and its residents for the past 26 years, and it has been an honor to lead the dedicated men and women of our police department."

His decision came in the wake of a City Council report that saw an independent investigator largely clear police of wrongdoing or other improper actions during the episode, per the outlet.

The findings were somewhat in contrast to both the DOJ report and an initial Texas House report that found "systemic failures and egregious poor decision-making."

Uvalde school district Police Chief Pete Arredondo was fired in August of 2022 in a unanimous vote by the school board.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.