Families who lost loved ones in the 2022 attack on an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, have sought for nearly four years to hold accountable the police who waited more than an hour to confront the shooter while children and teachers lay dead or wounded in classrooms.
Now one of the first officers on the scene is about to stand trial on multiple charges of child abandonment and endangerment. Former Uvalde schools police officer Adrian Gonzales is accused of ignoring his training in a crisis with deadly consequences. His attorney insists he was focused on helping children escape from the building.
The trial that starts Monday offers potentially one of the last chances to see police answer for the long delay. The families have pinned their hopes on the jury after their gun-control efforts were rejected by lawmakers, and their lawsuits remain unresolved. A few parents ran for political office to seek change, with mixed results.
The proceedings will provide a rare example of an officer being criminally charged with not doing more to stop a crime and protect lives. Jesse Rizo's niece was one of 19 children and two teachers killed by the teenage gunman in one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. Nine-year-old Jackie Cazares still had a pulse when rescuers finally reached her, Rizo said.
“It really bothers us a lot that maybe she could have lived,” he said.
“Only two of the 376 officers from local, state and federal agencies on the scene have been charged,” a fact that haunts Velma Lisa Duran, whose sister, Irma Garcia, was one of the teachers gunned down.
Duran asked through tears, “What about the other 374? They all waited and allowed children and teachers to die.” The charges reflect the dead and wounded children, but not her sister’s death.
Prosecutors will likely face a high bar to win a conviction. Juries are often reluctant to convict law enforcement officers for inaction, as seen after the Parkland, Florida school massacre in 2018, where the first prosecution for an officer's failure to intervene ended in an acquittal.
Police and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott initially claimed prompt action had killed Uvalde gunman Salvador Ramos, but families described begging police to act and 911 calls from students pleading for help.
77 minutes passed from the time officers first arrived until a tactical team killed Ramos. Multiple reports documented failures in training and communication during the crisis.
Gonzales was indicted for allegedly placing children in imminent danger by failing to follow his training and not engaging the shooter despite hearing gunfire.
Uvalde's community remains divided on the officers’ response. Gonzales's trial is moved to Corpus Christi for an impartial jury as families pursue justice in various legal avenues, including pending lawsuits and demands for police reform.
As families continue to pressure lawmakers for stricter gun control measures, they reflect on the tragic events and the fight for accountability.
