Conflicts

Former Uvalde School Officer Acquitted of All Charges in Shooting Response Trial

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Jan 23, 2026

THE BARE STORY

A jury in Corpus Christi, Texas, has acquitted former Uvalde school police officer Adrian Gonzales on all 29 counts of child endangerment and abandonment related to the May 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary School. The verdict was delivered on January 21, 2026, following a two-week trial and approximately seven hours of deliberation.

The charges against Gonzales stemmed from the law enforcement response to the attack, in which 19 students and two teachers were killed. Investigations determined that 77 minutes passed between the arrival of officers and the breach of the classroom to neutralize the shooter. Gonzales was one of two officers to face criminal charges regarding the delay.

In an interview following the acquittal, Gonzales stated he has no regrets and stands by his actions. He asserted that he was one of the first officers to arrive but retreated from the building after receiving a direct order from a commanding officer. Gonzales claimed he was "selectively prosecuted" and scapegoated, arguing he did the best he could with the information available at the time.

The verdict prompted frustration among victims' families. Jacinto Cazares, whose daughter died in the shooting, stated that the families felt failed by the outcome. Gonzales acknowledged the families' pain, saying they are in his prayers, but noted that he and his family have felt like pariahs since the indictment.

Former Uvalde Schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo also faces criminal charges of child endangerment connected to the incident. Arredondo has pleaded not guilty, and his trial has not yet been scheduled due to pending legal matters.

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• Frustration with the verdict The jury's decision to acquit Gonzales on all counts of child endangerment and abandonment prompted immediate expressions of frustration from the victims' relatives. Jacinto Cazares, whose daughter died in the shooting, stated explicitly that the families felt failed by the outcome of the trial.

• The critical delay in response The prosecution of officers stemmed from investigations determining that 77 minutes passed between the arrival of law enforcement and the breach of the classroom to neutralize the shooter. For the families, this significant lapse in time during the attack, which resulted in the deaths of 19 students and two teachers, remains a central point of contention.

• Ongoing legal proceedings While Gonzales was cleared of charges, the families' seek for accountability continues as former Uvalde Schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo still faces criminal charges of child endangerment. Arredondo has pleaded not guilty, and his trial has not yet been scheduled due to pending legal matters.

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader: You may see legal precedents established where adherence to command orders serves as a valid defense for officers facing criminal charges related to their response during mass casualty events.

Future accountability efforts regarding the 77-minute response delay may focus more heavily on command-level decision-makers, as the former police chief still faces criminal charges despite this acquittal.

The outcome highlights the legal challenges in holding individual officers criminally liable for broader law enforcement failures, particularly when defense teams argue selective prosecution or scapegoating occurs.

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