CNN
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The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District unanimously accepted the retirement of Superintendent Hal Harrell on Wednesday, a little over a week after he initially announced his plan to step aside.
The board voted for Gary Patterson to serve as the interim superintendent. Two staff members will continue to search for a permanent replacement, the board voted unanimously.
The official retirement comes months after an 18-year-old gunman entered the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, opened fire inside two adjoining classrooms and slaughtered 19 children and two teachers.
Officers arrived on the scene minutes later, but after taking fire from the gunman they retreated to a hallway, and the gunman remained inside the classrooms for a total of 77 minutes before a tactical unit forced their way in and killed the shooter, according to a timeline from the state public safety department.
The delay in law enforcement’s response garnered backlash from parents and officials alike, and also contradicts a widely taught protocol for active shooter situations that says the gunman should be stopped as soon as possible.
Families of the victims have demanded greater accountability from officials in the aftermath of the shooting, and some Uvalde parents have been calling for the superintendent’s removal for months.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
