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March 12 (UPI) -- The police chief of Uvalde, Texas, who was out of state during the mass shooting nearly two years ago at Robb Elementary School, announced Tuesday he will resign his position next month. "After deep contemplation and consideration, I believe it is time for me to embrace a new chapter in my career," Daniel Rodriguez said in a statement, without mentioning the May 24, 2022 shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers.
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"I want to express my deepest appreciation to all of my colleagues and team members for their unwavering support, professionalism and dedication to our shared mission of serving and protecting the community. It has been a privilege to work alongside such talented and committed individuals, and I will genuinely miss our collaborations and camaraderie," Rodriguez added.
The police chief's resignation, which will take effect on April 6, follows an independent investigation into the slow response to the shooting as responders waited 77 minutes at the scene before entering a classroom and killing the gunman.
An independent report, released last week by the Uvalde City Council, found that none of the first five Uvalde police officers who responded to the shooting violated policy or committed any wrongdoing. Instead, the report blamed communication issues and crowds outside the school.
Some parents, who lost children in the deadly shooting, called out the chief after hearing Tuesday of his resignation.
"He would rather resign than fire his friends. It was an easy way out," said Veronica Mata, whose 10-year-old daughter, Tess, was killed at the school.
In January, a Justice Department report called Uvalde's police response to the elementary school shooting a "failure," due to a lack of leadership, training and tactics.
"The law enforcement response at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022, and in the hours and days after, was a failure that should not have happened," Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters after the critical incident review was released earlier this year.
Uvalde's interim chief of police position will be filled by current assistant chief of police, Homer Delgado, until Uvalde's mayor and city manager can find a replacement.
"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," Uvalde Mayor Cody Smith said Tuesday in a statement.
"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."
