The mayor of Uvalde, Texas, abruptly resigned Monday, citing health concerns. Kody Smith's resignation comes after he won a 2023 campaign that hinged on the Robb Elementary School shooting.
“I would like to thank the members of the Uvalde community for their thoughts and prayers as I recover from the unexpected medical issues I have experienced in recent weeks,” Smith said.
Smith defeated gun control advocate Kimberly Mata-Rubio in the 2023 election, but Kimberly Mata-Rubio lost her daughter in a mass shooting. The shooting left 19 students and two teachers dead, and the police's slow response sparked public anger.
The mayor's resignation comes on the heels of that of Uvalde Police Chief Daniel Rodriguez, who abruptly resigned on March 12. Days earlier, a city-commissioned report found local police were not responsible for their response to the shooting.
The local report contradicted a similar federal investigation that blamed poor organization and a chaotic chain of command for the botched response. Dozens of police surrounded the school, and the gunman executed the student inside the classroom.
The federal report said the local response was an “unprecedented failure.”
Victims' families were outraged by a city report that at times praised the response of local police.
Smith said the city's Mayor Pro Tem Everardo Zamora will serve as mayor until a new top official is elected in November.
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