Uvalde Officer Trial: Accountability in School Shooting Response

Tue Feb 03 2026 18:53:10 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The trial of former school police officer Adrian Gonzales, accused of failing to act during the Uvalde school shooting, begins its final stages with closing arguments to the jury.

Adrian Gonzales, a former officer at Robb Elementary, faces charges related to negligence during the 2022 shooting that claimed 19 student lives. As the jury prepares for deliberation, the emotional impact of the trial is palpable, with testimony from survivors and families of victims highlighting the tragic consequences of alleged inaction by law enforcement.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — The trial of former Uvalde school police officer Adrian Gonzales, accused of failing to act to save lives during the devastating 2022 Robb Elementary School attack, has entered its final phase as jurors prepare for deliberation.

Gonzales faces 29 counts of child abandonment and endangerment linked to the tragic incident where 19 students and two teachers were murdered by a gunman. Defense attorneys and prosecutors are set to deliver closing arguments Wednesday, marking a crucial turn in a case that has brought intense scrutiny to law enforcement's response during mass shootings.

The prosecution has emphasized the urgency of reacting within the critical first moments of an active shooter scenario, stating, “Every second counts.” Special prosecutor Bill Turner underscored that Gonzales hesitated for approximately three minutes after arriving at the school, a delay that many argue significantly exacerbated the chaos and loss of life.

Prosecutors presented testimony from a variety of witnesses, including teachers who described the horror of the attack and graphic evidence from inside the classrooms, further painting a grim picture of the events that unfolded that day. Throughout the trial, emotional testimonies have stirred the courtroom, illustrating the profound impacts of the attack on survivors and victims’ families.

However, Gonzales' defense team portrayed him as one of the first responders to the chaotic scene, insisting he acted as best he could under the circumstances and claiming he did not see the gunman amidst the pandemonium. Witnesses for the defense included a local resident who testified to seeing the shooter trying to keep out of sight, potentially corroborating Gonzales' assertion that he did not observe the assailant.

The trial, relocated to Corpus Christi due to concerns over an impartial jury in Uvalde, saw families of victims make the long journey to watch proceedings unfold. Tensions reached a peak early in the trial when a family member of one victim was removed from the courtroom following an emotional outbreak after an officer's testimony.

Despite numerous witnesses being called by the prosecution, inconsistencies arose throughout the trial, leading to moments of contention. Defense lawyers argued for a mistrial after discrepancies in witness testimony but were denied by the judge. Gonzales, a police veteran with prior experience in active shooter response training, now faces the possibility of prison time if found guilty.

Only Gonzales and former Uvalde police chief Pete Arredondo have been criminally charged for their roles in the delayed response during the school attack, reflecting ongoing debates about law enforcement accountability in the wake of such tragedies.