The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District fired a recent hire to the Texas school district’s police department, attributing her termination to statements that were “not consistent” with expectations.
Crimson Elizondo is a former Texas Department of Public Safety state trooper, whose hire to the school district drew outrage from parents of victims of the May 24 school shooting that killed 21 people, including 19 elementary school students.
The school district apologized for the hire in a press release sent on Thursday. Executive Director of Communications and Marketing Anne Marie Espinoza said Elizondo has been terminated from her position with the Uvalde school police department after they received an audio recording of comments she made on the day of the shooting.
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“We sincerely apologize to the victim’s families and the greater Uvalde community for the pain that this revelation has caused,” Espinoza said.
The school said it will conduct an independent investigation is underway to “evaluate the actions of the current officers on May 24, 2022.”
Elizondo was the first state trooper to enter the hallway at Robb Elementary School after the shooter gained entry, according to an internal review from DPS obtained by ABC News. She did not bring her rifle or vest into the school.
She was heard on body camera footage talking to fellow officers after someone asked if she had children at the school that day.
“If my son had been in there, I would not have been outside,” she said. “I promise you that.”
Espinoza confirmed to the Washington Examiner that the recording in question, which was reported first by CNN, is the same recording mentioned as the reason for her termination.
Elizondo is one of seven DPS personnel under investigation, per ABC News. Elizondo resigned from DPS, preventing any internal discipline or penalties. DPS said on Thursday it sent a memo to the Uvalde school district on July 28 alerting them to their investigation of Elizondo.
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Espinoza declined to provide Elizondo’s hire date.
