Uvalde police chief submits resignation
Uvalde Police Chief Daniel Rodriguez avoided much of the scorn and fury heaped on law enforcement officers over the failed response to the May 24, 2022, mass shooting at Robb Elementary School.
The reason: Rodriguez was off-duty and out of state that day.
Now, the chief is calling it a career, Uvalde Mayor Cody Smith said.
“The City of Uvalde is grateful to Chief Rodriguez for his 26 years of service to our community, and we wish him the best as he pursues new career opportunities,” Smith said.
Neither the mayor nor Rodriguez elaborated on the reason for his resignation, which is effective April 6. Rodriguez became chief in 2018.
The Uvalde LeaderNews was first to report the news. Rodriguez announced his resignation during a departmental staff meeting, the paper said.
“It should also be noted that I was not forced, asked or pressured by anyone in the city or the community to make the decision that I made,” Rodriguez told the Leader-News. “This decision was best for me and my family.”
Former Mayor Donald McLaughlin Jr., who was in office at the time of the Robb shooting, said he was “flabbergasted” to learn Rodriguez was stepping down.
“I think that maybe Danny feels the community, this will give them a (new) start,” McLaughlin said. “Danny wasn’t here that day, so you really can’t hold him responsible, but I think it’s just weighing on him. I just think it’s weighing on him day in and day out. Maybe the community or the families will see a change and hopefully it’ll help.”
McLaughlin said Rodriguez grew up in Uvalde, joined the police force in 1993 and left at one point to work for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Then he returned to his hometown and worked his way up the ranks of the police department.
“I have a lot of respect for Danny,” McLaughlin said. “And I think on May 24 (2022), he wasn’t here that day, but I think if he would have been here, we would have seen more professionalism on that day.”
In his resignation letter, Rodriguez said, “I want to express my deepest appreciation to all of my colleagues and team members for their unwavering support, professionalism, and dedication to our mission of serving and protecting the community. It has been a privilege to work alongside such talented and committed individuals, and I will miss our collaborations and camaraderie dearly.”
Smith said Assistant Police Chief Homer Delgado will serve as interim chief while the mayor and city manager search for a permanent replacement “in consultation with the City Council.”
“Nothing is more important than the safety of our community, and we look forward to working together to identify the best candidate to serve the people of Uvalde,” Smith said.
News of Rodriguez’s resignation comes just days after a police consultant who examined the actions of Uvalde police during the Robb Elementary massacre found that local officers were not to blame for the confused law enforcement response and the heavy loss of life.
The report, by Jesse Prado, a retired Austin police detective who is now a private investigator and consultant, found that Uvalde police officers were outgunned, hamstrung by poor radio communications and missing critical pieces of equipment, notably vests and shields strong enough to provide protection from the shooter’s high-powered rifle.
Nineteen fourth-graders and two teachers were shot dead by the teenage gunman, who was armed with an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle. Nearly 400 officers from two dozen local, state and federal agencies were on the scene. Despite the massive police presence, 77 minutes passed before a Border Patrol-led team stormed the classroom.
With Rodriguez away, Uvalde police Lt. Mariano Pargas was acting chief of the city’s police force that day. He resigned in November 2022 to avoid being fired. Pargas’ position became untenable after CNN aired video footage that showed Pargas was informed by a dispatcher that some children were still alive in the classroom and did not take action.