A JURY IN UVALDE, TEXAS, ACQUITTED FORMER SCHOOL POLICE OFFICER ADRIAN GONZALES OF ALL CHARGES RELATED TO HIS RESPONSE DURING THE ROBB ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOOTING IN MAY 2022. (PHOTO).

 Former school police officer Adrian Gonzales acquitted on all charges

A jury in Uvalde, Texas, acquitted former school police officer Adrian Gonzales of all charges related to his response during the Robb Elementary School shooting in May 2022. After more than seven hours of deliberation, Gonzales was found not guilty on all 29 counts of child endangerment.

Gonzales, one of the first officers to arrive during the mass shooting that claimed the lives of 19 students and two teachers, bowed his head as the verdict was read. Many in the courtroom gallery were visibly emotional, with some crying. Gonzales hugged his attorneys and appeared tearful. Prosecutors argued that he failed to follow training, putting the students at risk, while his defense maintained he was unfairly blamed for broader law enforcement failures that day.

Speaking outside the courtroom, Gonzales thanked God, his family, and his lawyers. Asked about moving forward, he said, “Picking up the pieces and moving forward.” His defense team expressed sympathy for the families of victims while emphasizing that the jury carefully weighed the evidence and found significant gaps in the prosecution’s case. Attorneys said the verdict demonstrates that Gonzales acted within his duties and faced serious personal risk during the response.

Reactions from victims’ families were deeply emotional. Jacinto Cazares, whose 9-year-old daughter Jackie died in the shooting, described the verdict as another instance of the legal system failing. Other relatives expressed frustration, questioning the message it sends to law enforcement officers about accountability during future mass shootings. Some family members disputed the defense’s characterization of Gonzales’ actions as heroic, saying he failed to intervene.

Each of the 29 counts carried a maximum sentence of two years in prison. Prosecutors argued Gonzales had opportunities to stop the gunman, Salvador Ramos, after receiving critical information from a teaching aide, but failed to act. The defense countered that Gonzales followed the information he had, helped evacuate children, and acted alongside other officers who also had chances to confront the shooter.

This trial marked only the second time in U.S. history that prosecutors sought to hold a law enforcement officer criminally accountable for their response to a mass shooting. In 2023, a Florida jury acquitted Scot Peterson, a former deputy in the Parkland, Florida, school shooting, citing similar issues of unclear responsibilities and poor communication.

Former Uvalde Schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo, who commanded the response on site at Robb Elementary, is also facing child endangerment charges. His case has been delayed due to ongoing federal litigation and difficulties in obtaining testimony from Border Patrol agents involved in the shooting response.