CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The trial of Adrian Gonzales, a former school police officer from Uvalde, Texas, is wrapping up as jurors prepare to deliberate on his role during the tragic Robb Elementary School shooting in May 2022. Gonzales faces 29 counts of child abandonment and endangerment, relating to the deaths and injuries of students and teachers when a gunman opened fire at the school.
Gonzales, one of the first responders at the scene, has pleaded not guilty, stating that he neither froze nor abandoned his training during the incident. Prosecutors have presented stark testimonies and harrowing evidence, including audio and video recordings from the chaotic moments of the attack that left 19 students and two teachers dead and garnered national outrage about law enforcement's delay in escalating the response.
Closing arguments were delivered Tuesday, with the prosecution emphasizing that every second counts in an active shooter situation. Special prosecutor Bill Turner highlighted the critical moments, stating, Every second, more victims can die if a police officer is standing and waiting.\
During the trial, Gonzales did not take the stand, and his defense team only called two witnesses. Notably, a witness from across the street mentioned observing the shooter attempting to conceal himself—testimony that could lend support to Gonzales's claims of not seeing the gunman directly.
Emotional accounts from teachers who faced the gunman recounted terrifying memories, solidifying the tragic narrative of the day. The trial also drew the attention of family members of victims who traveled from Uvalde to observe the proceedings in Corpus Christi, where the trial relocated due to concerns over receiving an impartial jury.
After nine days of testimony from 36 witnesses, where graphic photographs and firsthand accounts painted a vivid picture of the horrors that unfolded, the case now lies in the hands of jurors, who must decide the fate of Gonzales amid a complex tapestry of accountability, tragedy, and the expectations placed upon law enforcement in life-threatening situations.
