Uvalde, Texas's mayor suddenly resigned on Monday, mentioning health issues. Cody Smith left his position after winning the 2023 election, which was influenced by the Robb Elementary School shooting.
Smith expressed gratitude towards the Uvalde community for their support during his unexpected health struggles.
Smith won against gun control advocate Kimberly Mata-Rubio in the 2023 race. She lost her daughter in the shooting, which led to widespread public outrage due to a delayed police response that resulted in the death of 19 students and two teachers.
The mayor's resignation closely follows that of Uvalde Police Chief Daniel Rodriguez, who abruptly resigned on March 12. Just before this, a report commissioned by the city stated that the local police were not at fault for their response to the shooting.
The local report contradicted a similar federal inquiry, blaming disorganization and confusion in the chain of command for the mishandled response. The school was surrounded by numerous officers while the shooter attacked students in a classroom.
The federal report labeled the local response as “a failure that should not have occurred.”
The families of the victims were furious about the city’s report, which occasionally praised the local law enforcement's response.
In the interim, the city’s Mayor Pro-Tem, Everardo Zamora, will take over as mayor until a new leader is elected in November, Smith announced.
