Uvalde Mayor Cody Smith has resigned from his position due to health reasons, leaving the post at the same time as Police Chief Daniel Rodriguez is expected to depart. This comes two years after one of the deadliest school shootings in US history occurred in the city. In a statement, Smith thanked the Uvalde community for their support during his recovery from health issues but did not provide further details on his condition.
The decision to resign follows an independent report commissioned by the city that defended the actions of local officers during the response to the school shooting in May 2022. The controversial report was conducted by private investigator Jesse Prado, who was paid $97,000 for the investigation according to city council records. Last month, Prado presented the report findings in a city council meeting, leading to emotional reactions from victims’ families and the community.
The Uvalde City Council is set to meet and potentially discuss the report in a private session following Smith’s resignation. Last week, the meeting was postponed due to concerns about Smith’s health. Rodriguez previously announced his resignation effective April 6th after finding no wrongdoing by local officers who waited over an hour before engaging with teen gunman armed with an AR-15 style weapon. Rodriguez stated it was time for a new chapter in his career without mentioning anything related to this incident that happened two years ago on May 23rd when twenty-one people were killed including 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School.
