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Who is Mandy Gutierrez? Robb Elementary principal placed on administrative leave after shooting

Gutierrez's position was in question after a legislative committee faulted her and an assistant for not tackling the security problems at the school
PUBLISHED JUL 26, 2022
Mandy Gutierrez (R) has been placed on administrative leave (screenshot via ABC News)
Mandy Gutierrez (R) has been placed on administrative leave (screenshot via ABC News)

Mandy Gutierrez, the principal of Robb Elementary School where 19 students and two teachers were shot dead by a gunman on May 24, has now been placed on administrative leave. The principal's attorney, Ricardo Cedillo, confirmed the development to CBS News on Monday. However, the exact reason why Gutierrez was placed on leave is still under wraps.

"I can confirm that Ms. Gutierrez was placed on Administrative Leave With Pay today by Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Superintendent Hal Harrell," attorney Ricardo Cedillo said in a statement. "Ms. Gutierrez has no further comment now." The news comes shortly after police chief Pete Arredondo was placed on unpaid leave by the Uvalde school system.

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The Robb Elementary School sign is seen covered in flowers and gifts on June 17, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas. Committees have begun inviting testimony from law enforcement authorities, family members and witnesses regarding the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School which killed 19 children and two adults. Because of the quasi-judicial nature of the committee's investigation and pursuant to House, Section 12, witnesses will be examined in executive session.
The Robb Elementary School sign is seen covered in flowers and gifts on June 17, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Who is Mandy Gutierrez?

Mandy Gutierrez has worked in the Uvalde school district for more than 20 years and the session of 2021-2022 was her first year as the principal of Robb Elementary School. Before the promotion, she used to teach fourth grade and was also an assistant principal at the school.

Principal Gutierrez's position was in question after a Texas legislative committee faulted her and an assistant for not tackling the security problems at the school despite being aware of them before the May 24 massacre.

Wooden crosses are placed at a memorial dedicated to the victims of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on June 3, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas. 19 students and two teachers were killed on May 24 after an 18-year-old gunman opened fire inside the school. Wakes and funerals for the 21 victims are scheduled throughout the week.
Wooden crosses are placed at a memorial dedicated to the victims of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on June 3, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

A Texas House of Representatives report claimed that there was a "regrettable culture of noncompliance by school personnel who propped doors open and circumvented locks.”

For the unversed, on May 24, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos entered school premises with an AR-15-style rifle and killed 21 people, including 19 children and two teachers, at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

Before Gutierrez’s leave, the Uvalde school system sent school police chief Pete Arredondo on unpaid leave for his role in the delayed police response. Hal Harrell, the school superintendent, recommended firing Arredondo. The school board was supposed to make the final call on his termination, but that meeting was delayed due to some in-system issues, KSAT-TV reported.

Arredondo has been receiving backlash for deciding to wait over an hour for backup instead of confronting the shooter, who was ultimately taken down by US Border Patrol officers. A preliminary report disclosed that a total of 376 law enforcement officers were at Robb Elementary while the gunman was at large for over 70 minutes.

The district school board held a meeting on Monday evening during which they postponed the start of the district school year until September 06. The decision was made to lend officials enough time to resolve the educational resource issues at Robb Elementary, including replacing classrooms.

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