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A former police chief has been charged over the response to the Uvalde school shooting in 2022.

The Uvalde County sheriff’s office said Pedro ‘Pete’ Arredondo has been booked and released from jail after a grand jury indicted him on 10 counts of child endangerment on Thursday.

He was the chief of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District (UCISD) police department when a former student carried out a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Texas.

Salvador Ramos killed 19 children – all between nine and 11 years old – and two teachers on 24 May. It was one of the deadliest school shootings in US history.

The police force was heavily criticised for its response after it emerged that nobody attempted to confront the 18-year-old in adjoining classrooms 111 and 112 for 77 minutes.

Arredondo was sacked three months after the shooting in a unanimous vote from the UCISD’s board of trustees.

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From 2022: Uvalde police chief fired

A grand jury in Uvalde also issued an indictment for Adrian Gonzales, another officer, over the police response to the mass shooting.

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The sheriff’s office could not provide specific details on any charges faced. Uvalde County district attorney Christina Mitchell told the Uvalde Leader-News newspaper Gonzales will be booked on Friday.

It marks the first criminal complaints lodged against any of the responding officers, with Arredondo and Gonzalez among the first to arrive at the school.

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Social media users knew Ramos ‘was a monster’

A US Department of Justice report released this January found officers made “critical failures” in treating Ramos as a “barricaded subject” and leaving 33 students in the classrooms with him.

“The resulting delay provided an opportunity for the active shooter to have additional time to reassess and re-engage his deadly actions inside the classroom,” the report added.

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From January: Uvalde school shooting ‘series of major failings’

It also read: “More than one survivor recalled hearing someone state, ‘say help if you need help’, and when a child tried to say ‘help’, the subject re-entered room 112 from room 111 and shot the victim.”

Steven McCraw, Texas public safety chief, said in 2022 that there were enough armed police to stop the Uvalde gunman three minutes after he entered the school.

He added there was also a delay in entering the classroom while officers looked for a key, but the door was not locked and there was no evidence officers even checked.

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In November that year, CNN also released reports of a 911 call from Khloie Torres, 10, who was inside the classroom during the shooting.

She said: “Please get help. I don’t wanna die. My teacher is dead. Oh, my God.” Khloie survived the massacre.

It comes after the families of the victims filed lawsuits against Meta, Activision Blizzard and its parent Microsoft, and gunmaker Daniel Defense for alleged “collusion” in marketing weapons to young people.

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Boy, 13, dies after being shot by police in New York state

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Boy, 13, dies after being shot by police in New York state

A 13-year-old boy carrying a “realistic appearing” replica firearm has died after being shot by police in New York state, US authorities have said.

The shooting happened after two youths were stopped by officers investigating robberies in Utica, about 240 miles northwest of Manhattan, on Friday evening.

They were approached because they “matched the robbery suspects’ descriptions”, police said.

One of them ran before pointing what appeared to be a handgun at the officers, Utica police chief Mark Williams told reporters.

The replica gun. Pic: Utica Police Department
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Police said the boy was carrying a replica gun. Pic: Utica Police Department

Video on social media shows the boy being chased by an officer who wrestles him to the ground.

Two more officers catch up with them, after which a gunshot can be heard.

“Oh my god, he just shot him,” a bystander says.

The shooting happened in Utica, New York. Pic: AP
Image:
The shooting happened in Utica, New York state. Pic: AP

The boy was hit in the chest after one of the officers fired a single shot at him, Mr Williams said.

The teenager – named in local reports as Nyah Mway, a refugee from Myanmar – was given first aid at the scene but later died in hospital.

The gun had Glock markings. Pic: Utica Police Department
Image:
The gun had Glock markings, police said. Pic: Utica Police Department

The gun had Glock markings. Pic: Utica Police Department
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Pic: Utica Police Department

Officers recovered a replica of a Glock 17 Gen 5 handgun with a detachable magazine, Mr Williams said.

The dummy had “Glock markings, signatures, a detachable magazine and serial numbers”, police spokesperson Lieutenant Michael Curley said.

It was “in all aspects a realistic-appearing firearm”, he added.

“However, ultimately, it fires only pellets or BBs,” Mr Curley said.

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Utica Police Department said its “heartfelt thoughts and prayers” were with Nyah Mway’s family.

“We will continue to be as transparent and accessible to the family and community as legally allowed as this process continues,” the department said on Facebook.

It identified the officers involved as Patrick Husnay, Bryce Patterson and Andrew Citriniti, who have been placed on administrative leave with pay.

Mayor of Utica Michael Galime, on the centre right in a grey jacket, talking to members of the boy's family. Pic: AP
Image:
Mayor of Utica Michael Galime, on the centre right in a grey jacket, speaks to members of the boy’s family. Pic: AP


“Officer Husnay is the officer that fired his duty weapon, striking the juvenile,” the department said.

“As will be illustrated” in body-worn camera (BWC) footage, “when the officers asked and went to pat frisk Nyah Mway he immediately fled on foot”, it added.

“While fleeing he produced a replica Glock pellet gun from the front of his body, and during the 51 and 53-second mark on officer Patterson’s BWC, points the weapon directly at Officer Patterson and the other officers,” the department said.

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During a meeting at Utica’s city hall on Saturday, its mayor Michael Galime said he understood the “weight of this situation”.

He added: “Everything will be released, and everyone in this room and the entire community will have access to all of that information.”

While some people shouted down officials’ remarks, others called for silence so that members of the boy’s community could hear an interpreter’s translations.

Mr Galime said the city would be transparent in its investigation and that he and other officials would meet privately with the teen’s family and other community members.

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Defiant Biden attacks Trump but admits ‘I don’t debate as well as I used to’

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Defiant Biden attacks Trump but admits 'I don't debate as well as I used to'

Joe Biden has attacked Donald Trump at a rally a day after the president’s “shocking” performance in a head-to-head debate.

“I don’t walk as easy as I used to, I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to, I don’t debate as well as I used to but I know what I do know,” said President Biden. “I know how to tell the truth.”

His performance in the debate against Trump on Thursday night was described as an “unmitigated disaster” by some in his own party after he paused and stumbled his way through, prompting calls for him to step down.

“I give you my word as a Biden, I wouldn’t be running again if I did not believe, with all my heart and soul, I can do this job,” he told the rally in North Carolina.

Mr Biden attacked the former president’s criminal record, calling Donald Trump a “one-man crimewave”.

President Biden greets supporters as he arrives in Raleigh. Pic: AP
Image:
President Biden greets supporters as he arrives in Raleigh. Pic: AP

“My guess is he set a new record for the most lies told in a single debate,” he added, telling the crowd he spent “90 minutes on the stage debating a guy with the morals of an alley cat”.

Donald Trump at rally in Virginia after debating President Joe Biden
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Donald Trump at rally in Virginia after debating President Joe Biden

Hours later, Donald Trump was jubilant at a rally in Chesapeak, Virginia.

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“Never mind that crooked Joe Biden spent a week at Camp David, resting, working, studying – he studied so hard he didn’t know what the hell he was doing,” said Mr Trump to the crowd.

“Biden’s problem is not his age, […] he’s got no problem other than his competence. He’s grossly incompetent,” he added.

Bad debate nights happen

Barack Obama tweeted his support for President Biden on Friday evening, saying: “Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know.”

But others remained unconvinced Joe Biden should run for president.

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Joe Biden appears to stall during debate

“I do not think President Joe Biden can be the Democratic Party’s standard-bearer in 2024,” former White House director of global engagement Brett Bruen told Sky News’ Yalda Hakim.

“Last night’s performance was astonishingly bad. You cannot just be strong on the teleprompter,” he said.

But Anthony Scaramucci, former White House communications director, blamed the president’s poor performance on his preparation.

“He wasn’t prepped right for that debate. He’s an older man,” Mr Scaramucci told Yalda Hakim.

“You don’t fill his head with facts and figures he’s never going to remember.”

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Biden v Trump: What you need to know

There have been repeated calls for President Biden to step down.

It’s “time to talk about an open convention and a new Democratic nominee,” one Democratic politician told Sky’s US partner network NBC News.

Read more from Sky News:
Joe Biden: Could the Democrats replace him as US election nominee?

Biden performance against Trump was among worst in presidential history

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Kamala Harris says Biden had a ‘slow start’ but he ‘pushed facts’ while Donald Trump ‘pushed lies’.

However, while Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged that President Joe Biden had a “slow start” in the debate, she insisted that he finished “strong”.

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At a Waffle House restaurant in Atlanta after the debate, Biden told reporters he did not have concerns about his performance. “It’s hard to debate a liar,” he said.

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Joe Biden: Could the Democrats replace him as US election nominee and how might that work?

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Joe Biden: Could the Democrats replace him as US election nominee and how might that work?

Joe Biden’s stumbling performance in the US presidential debate has sparked alarm among Democrats – but could he be replaced against his will and how might that work?

A national US party has never tried to force an election candidate to step down in the modern era and their rules make it almost impossible to do so.

Latest: Reaction to Biden v Trump debate

The issue came before both parties in 2016, but neither took action and there’s currently no known effort to force Mr Biden to give way.

It would mean Democrat officials overturning the results of the state primaries – the votes that took place earlier this year that confirmed Mr Biden as the overwhelming pick for November’s election.

The 81-year-old won virtually all the delegates – and they are now set to go through the customary process of rubberstamping his nomination at the Democratic National Convention in August.

There are ways to replace a nominee if they die, resign or are incapacitated, but forcing Mr Biden out would mean delegates choosing another candidate.

It appears highly unlikely, as they were chosen in the primaries because of their loyalty to the president and with the trust that they would vote for him at the convention.

Read more:
‘Unmitigated disaster’ for Biden in TV debate with Trump
Key moments from Trump v Biden

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Biden v Trump: Highlights from the debate

However, there is a potential “loophole” in that Democrat rules allow them to “in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them”.

So if concerns about his performance and mental acuity reach critical level this could be a way forward.

Watch a special programme with reaction to the US presidential debate on The World with Yalda Hakim on Sky News from 6pm

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Biden appears to stall during debate

What if Biden withdraws himself?

This is the only plausible scenario for the Democrats to choose a new candidate to take on Donald Trump.

Mr Biden has repeatedly dismissed this option during other turbulent times, but if he changed his mind he could simply serve out the remaining months of his presidency.

Such a U-turn would create a frenzy among Democrats as there’s no protocol in place for him or the party to choose a new candidate before August’s convention.

Read more:
Excruciating Biden performance was among worst ever

It takes a majority of the party’s 4,000 or so delegates to win the presidential nomination – and Mr Biden secured about 3,900 of them in the primaries.

The president would have some influence over his pledged delegates, but ultimately they can vote as they please – so it could become a ‘free for all’ with candidates campaigning aggressively to win them over.

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Kamala Harris says Biden had a ‘slow start’.

If the president decides to pull out after the convention takes place, the chair of the party can call a special meeting of around 500 members.

They can – in theory – choose a new nominee via a simple majority vote.

However, such a process would likely be far more turbulent with behind-the-scenes jockeying and public campaigning.

If Mr Biden withdrew even closer to the 5 November election, it could raise constitutional, legal and practical concerns.

For example, voting papers have to be printed well in advance and it might not be possible to change them in time.

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Would vice president Kamala Harris replace Biden?

If Mr Biden were to resign immediately as president, Kamala Harris would automatically succeed him – but would not also become Democratic nominee.

She might be politically favoured if he ditched his re-election bid, but Mr Biden’s delegates would not transfer to her as of right, and it would be a level playing field with the other hopefuls.

Who could be favourite if Biden steps back?

Two frontunners – if they chose to put themselves forward – could be California governor Gavin Newsom, 56, or Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer.

They didn’t enter this year’s primaries but have both been talked about as potential Democrat nominees in future.

For now at least, Mr Newsom appears to be sticking firmly behind the president.

Gavin Newsom (right) is often talked about as a potential future nominee. Pic: AP
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Gavin Newsom (right) is often talked about as a potential future nominee. Pic: AP

He told reporters after Thursday’s debate his party “could not be more wholly unified behind Biden” and he shouldn’t step aside.

Mr Newsom has been California governor since 2019 and was also San Francisco’s mayor for seven years. Before that, he founded a winery in the state’s upmarket Napa Valley.

Ms Whitmer, a lawyer and former prosecutor, was the Senate’s first female Democratic leader and became governor in 2018.

The 52-year-old also served as co-chair of Joe Biden’s 2020 election campaign.

Gretchen Whitmer has been talked about as a possible future presidential candidate. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Gretchen Whitmer has been talked about as a possible future nominee. Pic: Reuters

She’s previously said she would have no interest in replacing Mr Biden in this year’s election – and backed him again on Friday.

“Joe Biden is running to serve the American people. Donald Trump is running to serve Donald Trump,” she said.

However, if the president pulls out of his own volition, could she change her mind?

Democrats including Minnesota’s Dean Phillips and Jason Palmer, who actually beat Mr Biden in American Samoa, might also try their hand.

They were his main rivals in the primaries but only got a couple of delegates each, so would likely struggle to pull in enough support.

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