After a lengthy suspension, Texas Ranger Ryan Kindell has been reinstated to his position in Uvalde County by the Texas Department of Public Safety. This decision comes after a grand jury determined that Kindell did not violate any protocols or laws in his response to the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.
In May 2022, a lone gunman took the lives of 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary, before being taken down by law enforcement officers after 77 minutes. A total of 376 law enforcement officers responded to the scene, with Kindell among them.
Director Steven McCraw of DPS had initially planned to terminate Kindell, but after reviewing the Texas Ranger criminal investigation and the findings of the Uvalde County grand jury, he decided to reinstate Kindell. The grand jury did not find any criminal culpability on Kindell’s part for his actions during the shooting.
Kindell, a veteran officer with over 20 years of experience at DPS, received a call from the Uvalde District Attorney’s Office Chief Investigator about the active shooter situation at Robb Elementary on the day of the shooting. He immediately responded to the scene and coordinated with other officers on-site.
While Kindell has been reinstated, other law enforcement officials faced disciplinary action for their response to the shooting. Former Uvalde CISD Police Chief Pete Arredondo was fired, along with former Uvalde CISD police officer Adrian Gonzales. Both are facing criminal charges for their roles in the incident.
Additionally, seven DPS officers who responded to the shooting were put under investigation, with actions taken against two officers, including Kindell. Another officer, Trooper Crimson Elizondo, retired and later faced scrutiny for her response to the shooting.
Despite the challenges faced by law enforcement in responding to the tragedy at Robb Elementary, DPS Director McCraw has stated that no additional Rangers will face repercussions for their actions during the incident.
As this story continues to develop, stay tuned for further updates on the aftermath of the Uvalde school shooting and the reinstatement of Texas Ranger Ryan Kindell.