A trial has commenced in Corpus Christi, Texas, for Adrian Gonzales, a former Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District police officer, who faces charges related to the May 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting. Gonzales is accused of 29 counts of child abandonment or endangerment for his alleged actions and inactions during the incident, which resulted in the deaths of 19 students and two teachers. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Trial Commencement and Charges
The proceedings for Adrian Gonzales began with jury selection, which concluded on Monday, seating a panel of 12 jurors and four alternates. Hundreds of prospective jurors were questioned about their knowledge of the Robb Elementary shooting and their ability to remain impartial, leading to the dismissal of approximately 100 individuals who had pre-formed opinions. Special prosecutor Bill Turner informed potential jurors that the trial would examine whether Gonzales's actions or inactions constituted harm, defining child endangerment as a failure to act when a duty to act exists.
Gonzales is one of two officers to face criminal charges in connection with the response to the shooting, the other being former Uvalde schools police chief Pete Arredondo, whose trial date remains unscheduled. If convicted, Gonzales faces a potential prison sentence of up to two years. The trial is anticipated to last approximately two to three weeks.
Background of the Uvalde Shooting
On May 24, 2022, Salvador Ramos opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 students and two teachers. Approximately 400 officers from various state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies responded to the scene. Investigations later determined that 77 minutes elapsed from the initial arrival of authorities to the moment a tactical team entered the classroom to neutralize the shooter. Subsequent reviews also indicated that Ramos had focused on violence and notoriety in the months prior to the event.
Initial statements from law enforcement and then-Texas Governor Greg Abbott suggested prompt police action ended the shooting. This account was later challenged by details that emerged from family members at the scene and 911 calls made by students inside the school requesting assistance.
Allegations and Defense
The indictment against Gonzales alleges that he endangered children by failing to engage, distract, or delay the shooter. It further claims he did not adhere to active shooter training protocols and did not advance toward the gunfire despite hearing shots and receiving information about the shooter's location.
Gonzales's defense attorney has stated that the former officer made efforts to save children during the event. According to a state review, Gonzales informed investigators that he assisted in evacuating students from other classrooms once police became aware of their presence.
State and federal investigations into the shooting identified deficiencies across law enforcement training, communication, leadership, and technology, raising questions regarding the duration of officer waiting times.
Legal Context and Public Sentiment
The trial's venue was relocated from Uvalde to Corpus Christi, approximately 200 miles (320 kilometers) southeast, following a request from Gonzales's attorneys, who argued that he could not receive a fair trial in Uvalde. Prosecutors did not oppose this motion.
The prosecution is expected to encounter challenges in securing a conviction. Juries have historically demonstrated reluctance to convict law enforcement officers for inaction in similar cases. A notable precedent is the 2018 Parkland, Florida, school shooting, where Sheriff's Deputy Scot Peterson was charged with failing to confront the shooter in what was the first U.S. prosecution of its kind for an on-campus shooting. Peterson was acquitted by a jury in 2023.
Some victim family members have expressed the view that additional officers should face indictment. Velma Lisa Duran, whose sister Irma Garcia was one of the two teachers killed, stated, "They all waited and allowed children and teachers to die." Jesse Rizo, whose 9-year-old niece was among the students killed, indicated that family members plan to attend the trial daily.
Uvalde, a town of approximately 15,000 residents, continues to feature visible memorials related to the shooting. Robb Elementary School remains closed, though standing, with a memorial of 21 crosses and flowers near its sign. An additional memorial is located at the downtown plaza fountain, and murals depicting victims are present on various building walls.