Amidst the ripple of unrest following a report on the Robb Elementary School shooting, Uvalde is seeing shifts in its city leadership. Former Mayor Cody Smith, having recently won his third term, has stepped down citing "unexpected medical issues" as reported by KENS 5. District One Councilman Everardo Zamora is set to temporarily fill the mayoral vacuum up until the November 5 election, a move decided as the city council is yet to meet to possibly endorse a controversial report by investigator Jesse Prado regarding the police response during the tragedy.
The report in question, which has sparked substantial debate and heartache within the community, suggested that city officers did not violate any policy amidst the chaos of the shooting on May 24. Anger was further ignited when it was revealed by KENS 5 that Prado had, in some circumstances, praised the officers' actions, leading to considerable backlash from the victims' families and council members alike. As the community is still grappling to mend, the council has decided to quickly evaluate the report during their meeting set for Tuesday at 6 p.m.
As mentioned by KENS 5, Smith expressed his gratitude toward Uvalde residents for their support during his health ordeal.
The city's leadership was previously under scrutiny for its delayed response to the March 12 report's findings. Despite the report clearing nearly 30 city employees including police officers, the hastily-crafted plan seems to not have fully satisfied the public demand for accountability. Smith had then commented on the need to more carefully consider what if any, action we can take.
