Two years after the tragic mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, a former Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District police officer, Adrian Gonzales, is expected to be arraigned on 29 counts of abandoning and endangering a child. The incident, which occurred on May 24, 2022, resulted in the deaths of 19 children and two teachers.
Gonzales, along with former Uvalde schools police chief Pete Arredondo, are the only law enforcement officers facing criminal charges related to the deadliest school shooting in over a decade. The response time of 77 minutes to apprehend the gunman has been heavily criticized, with experts labeling it as an 'abject failure.'
According to Gonzales' indictment, he failed to act in accordance with his active shooter training by not engaging or impeding the shooter until after the assailant had entered specific classrooms and opened fire on children.
Gonzales' attorney maintains that his client did not violate school district policy or state law and questions the application of the statute to law enforcement in this context.
During the incident, Gonzales reported being at the high school when he heard gunshots near Robb Elementary. He attempted to call for backup but was unable to transmit inside the building. Subsequently, he did not re-enter the school after leaving to get radio reception.
Arredondo, who was the de facto incident commander at the scene, faces 10 counts of child endangerment and criminal negligence. He was terminated by the Uvalde school board three months after the shooting and has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Both Gonzales and Arredondo have been released on $10,000 bond following their arraignments.
The tragic events at Robb Elementary School have raised significant concerns about law enforcement response protocols and the accountability of officers in such critical situations.
