Texas

Husband of slain teacher resigns from Uvalde CISD Police Department, district confirms

November 21, 2022
Leigh Waldman, Cody King

UVALDE, Texas – Ruben Ruiz, husband of slain teacher Eva Mireles, has resigned from Uvalde CISD Police Department.

The district confirmed his resignation on Sunday, nearly six months after the shooting at Robb Elementary on May 24.

Officials could not confirm when Ruiz’s resignation became effective.

Mireles was one of two teachers and 19 students killed at Robb Elementary during the mass shooting.

Ruiz’s resignation comes three days after acting Uvalde Police Chief Lt. Mariano Pargas stepped down from his position.

Pargas’ retirement was announced after reports surfaced from CNN, showing that he spoke with a 911 dispatcher on the day of the shooting and knew there was a room “full of victims” but did not act swiftly or communicate the knowledge to other law enforcement.

What we know about Ruiz

Ruiz was among one of the first officers who arrived at Robb Elementary on the day of the mass shooting after a gunman charged inside and opened fire with an assault-style rifle on two adjoining classrooms — 111 and 112.
Ruiz was seen looking at his phone in the surveillance video of the police response during the shooting. Mireles had called her husband from inside her classroom, saying she “had been shot and was dying” after the gunman’s attack.
Texas Department of Public Safety Director Col. Steven McCraw said that Ruiz tried to save his wife, but was barred from doing so.
State Rep. Joe Moody said despite what surfaced in the video, he confirmed that Ruiz had tried to engage the shooter but was disarmed.

This is the husband of teacher Eva Mireles, who contacted him on his phone from her classroom while he was on-scene to say that she’d been shot and was dying. 1/2#txlege #Uvalde pic.twitter.com/C7m64uBmaQ

— Joe Moody (@moodyforelpaso)

July 13, 2022

To those who haven’t bothered to read even the news that’s been reported in your rush to judgment, he attempted to engage but was removed from the building and disarmed. We’ll have much to say about the police response, but no criticism of this officer.

— Joe Moody (@moodyforelpaso)

July 13, 2022

Find the latest Uvalde coverage from KSAT here