A teacher who survived the 2022 shooting inside a Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, testified on Monday that the attack began with a 'black shadow' wielding a gun, leading him to pray for the ordeal to end after he was shot alongside his students.
The emotionally charged testimony from Arnulfo Reyes came on the fifth day of the trial for Adrian Gonzales, a former police officer tasked with protecting the school, who faces 29 counts of child endangerment for his alleged inaction during the shooting.
The tragic event resulted in the deaths of 19 students and two teachers. Reyes recounted being shot in the arm and back while witnessing gunman Salvador Ramos taunt his class.
Reyes described the chilling moment: 'I looked at my door and that’s when I saw him ... a black shadow. The black shadow was holding a gun. I just saw the fire come out of the gun.' He stated that he collapsed after being shot, only to witness Ramos turn back to shoot at his students.
After being shot, Reyes prayed for his life, surrendering himself to the Lord while waiting for the attack to cease. Observers noted that none of the children in his classroom survived.
Gonzales's demeanor in court was noted as lacking emotional response, even as court proceedings played distressing audio of the crime scene, including frantic emergency calls and a woman pleading for students to stay safe.
The trial, taking place in Corpus Christi, Texas, has become a focal point for scrutinizing law enforcement responses during such crises. It aims to establish if Gonzales's failure to act constitutes criminal negligence, amidst a backdrop of intense scrutiny on police conduct during active shooter situations.
Reyes’s heartfelt testimony underscored the profound impact of the tragedy, setting the stage for continued discussions about safety in schools and the responsibilities of law enforcement amidst such emergencies. Gonzales’s trial continues as one of the rare instances of a police officer potentially facing consequences for failing to prevent a massacre.
