SAN ANTONIO – Uvalde CISD students are heading back to school on Sept. 6 and it’ll be their first day back in class after the horrific Robb Elementary mass shooting. And it’s something Santa Fe ISD has already lived through.
Santa Fe ISD Police Chief Ruben Espinoza took lead of the police department soon after a school shooting took 10 people’s lives at Santa Fe High School back in 2018. Four years later, their community is still in the healing process.
“When things like the Uvalde incident happens, it just brings everything back to light,” Espinoza said.
Espinoza said two officers confronted the gunman in the Santa Fe shooting, stopping the bloodshed. It’s something officers in the Uvalde shooting are criticized for not doing. The Santa Fe district police chief at the time is now in charge of the city’s police department. Pete Arredondo for Uvalde ISD however, was fired.
“It’s a heavy burden to make sure your campus and district is safe,” Espinoza said.
Espinoza recalls the struggles of preparing for a new school year after the tragedy. He said it was a daunting burden, both mentally and physically. They hired more personnel and added technology, things that are still key to keeping students safe today.
“Going through the metal detector might be a long-drawn-out process for them to understand, but after the Uvalde incident we had several people say we understand now,” Espinoza said.
He said Uvalde’s journey won’t be easy. It’s currently a road his community is still traveling, but he adds what he and his department have learned is actions speak louder than words.
“Take one day, one day at a time, we’re here if they need any help if their police department needs any help, we’re here to help them,” Espinoza said.
