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Adrian Gonzales not guilty in Uvalde school shooting- 5 things to know about ex-police officer
Former Uvalde officer Adrian Gonzales was acquitted of all 29 charges after a seven-hour deliberation over his role in the Robb Elementary shooting response.
Former Uvalde police officer Adrian Gonzales was found not guilty of all 29 counts of child endangerment charges related to the May 24, 2022, shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
The verdict followed a seven-hour jury deliberation in the two-week trial in Corpus Christi, Texas, which began early January and featured 35 witnesses scrutinizing Gonzales's role as first responder.
One of the deadliest US shootings since Sandy Hook, it claimed 19 students and two teachers. The shooter Salvador Ramos, 18, fired over 500 rounds from an AR-15 before Border Patrol killed him after 77 minutes.
The police response to the shooting has faced massive scrutiny: 376 officers delayed confrontation due to chaos, poor radio use, conflicting commands, and treating it as a barricade vs. an active threat situation. This led to Uvalde CISD police disbandment in Nov 2022, six firings, superintendent resignation, and settlements of over $2 million.
Gonzales, 52, a 23-year CSID veteran, faced 29 counts, each up to 2 years prison, potentially life. Prosecutors alleged he ignored intel on Ramos, waited 3 minutes outside post-arrival, failed to lead an immediate breach. Gonzales skipped testifying.
5 Key Facts On Adrian Gonzales
1. Adrian Gonzales was the first responding officer
Gonzales arrived at around 11:35 a.m. after the first call went in at 11:28 am. He heard shots in west wing hallway and when another officer urged pursuit of fleeing Ramos, Gonzales did not lead a solo charge, but he radioed the suspect's position instead.
2. Prosecutors press on 3-minute wait
Prosecutors in the case alleged that Gonzales waited for three minutes before he entered the campus. By the time he started his own response, the shooter, Salvador Ramos, had fired over 117 rounds of.
3. Trial focused on his supervising role
The indictment against Gonzales focused on his duty to "neutralize threat." It was not related to a potential failure to engage with the suspect or create distractions by the time 19 officers were able to arrive at the scene. The leadership vacuum and Gonzales's role were the primary subjects of the deliberations on Wednesday.
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4. Texas House Probe Key In Verdict
Texas House probe blamed all responding agencies, noting the school police chief failed to lead while others hesitated and missed critical opportunities. This broader breakdown made it difficult to single out Adrian Gonzales as solely responsible.
5. Gonzalez Emotional At Court
Dressed in a blue suit and seated between his attorneys, Gonzales looked down as the not-guilty verdict on all counts was read, NBC News reported. He visibly emotional, the report noted, and later stood and embraced his lawyers.
