> At a Glance
> – Adrian Gonzales, first officer on scene, faces 29 counts of child abandonment for not stopping the shooter
> – 77 minutes passed before police breached the classroom, leaving 19 students and 2 teachers dead
> – If convicted, the maximum sentence is 2 years in prison
> – Why it matters: First criminal trial over the botched response that shocked the nation and rewrote active-shooter protocol
Two years after America’s deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade, the courtroom spotlight turns to Adrian Gonzales, the ex-school cop prosecutors say froze while children died inside Robb Elementary.
The Charges
Gonzales is the only officer-along with his former chief-charged after nearly 400 federal, state and local officers waited more than an hour outside the Uvalde, Texas, school on May 24, 2022.
An indictment says he:
- Heard gunfire and was told the shooter’s location
- Failed to engage, distract or delay the gunman
- Ignored active-shooter training that mandates immediate action
- Placed students in “imminent danger” of death or injury
Each of the 29 counts carries up to two years behind bars; jury selection starts Monday in Corpus Christi, 200 miles from the grieving town of 15,000.
Rapid-Fire Reversal
Gov. Greg Abbott initially praised police for saving lives, claiming “swift” action stopped the killer.
> “The reason it was not worse is because law enforcement officials did what they do … they were able to eliminate the gunman and save lives,” Abbott said in 2022.
Within days, 911 calls from trapped students and anguished parents begging officers to advance forced officials to admit the response was fatally flawed; Abbott later said he was “livid” at being misled.
What the Federal Review Found
A Justice Department report released Thursday cataloged cascading failures:
| Failure Area | Examples |
|---|---|
| Leadership | No incident commander identified |
| Communication | Radios didn’t work inside the building |
| Training | Officers waited for equipment instead of entering |
| Technology | Body-cam footage incomplete or missing |
Investigators concluded the chaos “contributed to the crisis lasting longer than necessary.”
Victims’ Families Push for More Charges
While the city reached a settlement with families last week, a fresh lawsuit now targets 98 state officers on scene.
Velma Lisa Duran, sister of slain teacher Irma Garcia, said prosecutors should widen the net:
> “They all waited and allowed children and teachers to die.”
Key Takeaways
- Gonzales pleaded not guilty; his lawyer insists he tried to save kids
- Former schools police chief Pete Arredondo also faces charges, trial date not set
- Parkland precedent: A Florida deputy was acquitted in 2023 on similar charges, showing the uphill battle prosecutors face
- Families plan the three-hour drive to Corpus Christi every trial day to remind jurors of the 21 lives lost
As opening arguments near, Uvalde’s closed but still-standing campus-its entrance flanked by 21 white crosses-remains a daily reminder of the cost of those 77 minutes of inaction.
