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Texas state police say Uvalde school police chief not responding to investigators, according to reports

Texas School Shooting
Posted at 7:03 PM, May 31, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-31 20:04:16-04

The Uvalde, Texas school district's police chief who made the decision to delay entering a Robb Elementary School classroom to stop a gunman while his force waited for more resources has reportedly not responded to requests by state investigators for a follow-up interview, the Texas Tribune reported, citing an unnamed law enforcement official.

Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Chief of Police Pete Arredondo is said to no longer be cooperating with the Texas Department of Public Safety's investigation into the massacre at Robb Elementary, according to law official sources who spoke to ABC News.

According to a report from the Texas Tribune on Tuesday, two spokespeople with the Texas Department of Public Safety said that a request to speak with Arredondo was made "a couple of days ago," and said that Arredondo still had not responded to that request.

The Uvalde school district's police department and the Uvalde Police Department were said to be otherwise cooperating with the Texas Ranger's investigation according to Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Travis Considine. The Texas Tribune reported that a call was placed to Arredondo requesting comment, but that it was not immediately returned.

Texas School Shooting Police Chief
A campaign sign for Pete Arredondo, the chief of police for the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, is seen in Uvalde, Texas Monday, May 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

ABC News reported that a spokesperson for the Texas DPS said, "The Uvalde Police Department and Uvalde CISD Police have been cooperating with investigators. The chief of the Uvalde CISD Police provided an initial interview but has not responded to a request for a follow-up interview with the Texas Rangers that was made two days ago."

As the Associated Press reported on Tuesday, the delay in killing the gunman responsible for killing 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas was described as "excruciating." Parents outside of the school could be seen begging police to rush in and help as panicked children inside of the school called 911 to ask the police to hurry and stop the gunman.

Texas DPS Col. Steven McCraw said on Friday during a press conference that Arredondo's decision to delay officers' actions while waiting for more resources was the "wrong decision."