Community rallies to support victims, survivors of Robb Elementary shooting

Uvalde CISD canceled a special board meeting to discuss terminating Pete Arredondo less than 24 hours before it was set to be held.

UVALDE – Anger turned into action Saturday in Uvalde after a special meeting called to discuss and potentially fire Uvalde CISD Police Chief Pete Arredondo was canceled Friday.

A plate sale was held to support families who haven’t had access to the money raised after the Uvalde school massacre.

Organizers said if they weren’t raising money, they would be out protesting.

“It’s so much harder knowing that they’re still doing their jobs even though they failed us,” Jazmin Cazares, Jackie Cazares’ older sister, said.

Strong words by Uvalde victims’ families turned into action as they joined the community to host a BBQ chicken plate sale fundraiser.

“We just wanted to contribute how we could,” Adam Martinez, the plate sale organizer, said.

Millions of dollars have been raised for the Uvalde Together We Rise Fund but according to the committee tasked with distributing those funds, it won’t happen until November 21st.

Martinez knew he had to step up and do something.

“These are for the families that either lost loved ones or they were injured, I think it’s a total of like 30, so we’re gonna distribute it evenly,” Martinez said.

Ultimately more than $2,700 were raised Saturday to be given out immediately.

17-year-old Cazares was helping make the plates. The high school senior said the delayed accountability in light of the shooting has been upsetting.

“Frustrated -- I think everybody is frustrated but you can’t control what they do. It’s frustrating but it’s gonna happen eventually and there’s no way they can escape that,” Cazares said.

She wasn’t surprised Uvalde CISD canceled the planned emergency board meeting. Cazares said terminations shouldn’t stop with Arredondo.

“Starting from the top like everybody that should have kept them safe, everyone that makes the rules in the schools to keep them safe,” Cazares said.

Michele Prouty lives next to Robb Elementary School. She was greeted by the sound of children playing at school every day, that is until May 24th.

Prouty is confident Arredondo’s termination will come no matter how long it takes.

“It doesn’t matter how long they del...they delay he’s, he’s gonna lose his position because there’s no way he can show his face back at that school,” Prouty said.

Many of the people at the plate sale said they plan to attend Monday’s school board meeting.

The potential firing of Arredondo isn’t on the agenda, but people want their voices and displeasure about inaction to be heard.


About the Authors:

Leigh Waldman is a news reporter at KSAT 12. She joined the station in 2021. Leigh comes to San Antonio from the Midwest after spending time at a station in Omaha, NE. After two winters there, she knew it was time to come home to Texas. When Leigh is not at work, she enjoys eating, playing with her dogs and spending time with family.

Gavin Nesbitt is a photojournalist and video editor who joined KSAT in September 2021. He has traveled across the great state of Texas to film, conduct interviews and edit many major news stories, including the White Settlement church shooting, Hurricane Hanna, 2020 presidential campaigns, Texas border coverage and the Spurs.