Uvalde, Texas police chief, Daniel Rodriguez, announced his resignation in the wake of a City Council report examining the department’s handling of the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School.
In his statement, Chief Rodriguez expressed his decision to pursue new opportunities after serving the city and its residents for 26 years, acknowledging the privilege of leading the “dedicated men and women” of the police department.
“After much contemplation and consideration, I believe it is time for me to embark on a new chapter in my career,” Chief Daniel Rodriguez said in a statement.
“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.”
During the tragic shooting that took place in 2022, law enforcement waited 77 minutes for tactical support to arrive, despite knowing that 33 children and three teachers were in immediate danger from an armed gunman within the school premises. The recent report by the Uvalde City Council found several officers cleared of wrongdoing despite a delayed response to the incident, which resulted in the tragic loss of 19 children and two teachers, with 17 others injured.
The report, compiled by investigator Jesse Prado, highlighted communication issues between Uvalde school district police and responding officers but concluded that there was no evidence of police misconduct or failure to adhere to training protocols.
However, the release of the report and Chief Rodriguez’s resignation have not eased the concerns of grieving parents, who attended a recent Uvalde City Council meeting seeking accountability. Expressing disappointment over the council’s refusal to take decisive action regarding the report, parents demanded answers and urged the council to hold officers accountable for the failures that resulted in their children being killed.
“You all told us last week you were going to give us some damn answers — and you’re still not giving us answers,” said one parent.
“We have waited almost two years now, and you keep asking us for more time. How much more time do you want us to wait?” asked another parent, who was skeptical that the council was simply waiting for the three Uvalde officers to quit instead of forcing them to resign.
“These officers let our children down. Do the right thing and fire them,” the parent continued.
