Jurors Find Gonzales Not Guilty on All 29 Counts The Texas jury returned a not‑guilty verdict on every charge, clearing Adrian Gonzales of 29 child abandonment and endangerment counts tied to the 2022 Robb Elementary shooting. Deliberations lasted roughly seven hours before the decision was announced in a Corpus Christi courtroom, far from the Uvalde site of the attack[1][2][3]. Prosecutors had warned that an officer with a duty to act cannot stand by while children are in danger, yet the jurors concluded the evidence did not meet the burden of proof[2]. The acquittal marks the first resolution in a series of criminal cases stemming from the tragedy.

Prosecutors Emphasized Training Violation While Defense Highlighted Chaos State prosecutors argued Gonzales abandoned his active‑shooter training by failing to confront the gunman as he entered the school[1][3]. Gonzales’s attorneys countered that he arrived after the shooting had begun, never saw the shooter, and focused on evacuating students amid chaotic rifle fire[1][2][3]. They pointed to three other officers who reached the scene seconds later and had a better chance to stop the attacker[1][2]. The defense framed the case around the “tunnel‑vision” mistake and the impossibility of acting without clear sight of the gunman[3].

Trial Context Includes 77‑Minute Tactical Delay and Heavy Casualties Approximately 370 officers rushed to Robb Elementary, yet it took about 77 minutes before a tactical team finally entered the classroom where the shooter was located[1][2]. The delayed response contributed to the death of 19 students and two teachers, with ten additional people injured[1][2]. These figures have become central to investigations and public scrutiny of law‑enforcement protocols in active‑shooter incidents[3]. The case underscores ongoing debates over police preparedness and command decisions during mass‑shooting events.

Arredondo’s Pending Trial and Family Reactions Remain Unresolved Former Uvalde Schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo still faces similar charges, but his trial date has not been set and prosecutors may consider dropping it after Gonzales’s acquittal[1][2]. Victims’ families attended the hearing, with some members crying, hugging lawyers, or being escorted out after emotional outbursts[1][2]. CNN reported additional testimony from teacher’s aide Melodye Flores and noted Gonzales’s own post‑shooting interview in which he acknowledged a “tunnel‑vision” mistake[3]. The unresolved legal actions and continued emotional impact keep the community’s demand for accountability alive.