Uvalde Officer Pleads Not Guilty in School Shooting Case

UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Adrian Gonzales, a former school police officer involved in the delayed response to the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges of failing to act during the tragedy that claimed the lives of 19 children and two teachers. Gonzales was among nearly 400 law enforcement personnel who responded to the scene but waited over 70 minutes to confront the shooter. Families of the victims have expressed frustration over the slow response and have called for more officers to be held accountable. Gonzales faces 29 counts of abandoning or endangering a child, accused of neglecting his training and failing to confront the shooter despite hearing gunfire. His attorney, Nico LaHood, emphasized that Gonzales maintains his innocence and argued that the charges against him are unprecedented for law enforcement in Texas. LaHood criticized the focus on Gonzales, suggesting that many officers present that day also failed to act. The police response to the Uvalde shooting has faced intense scrutiny, with investigations revealing significant failures in training, communication, and leadership. This incident has drawn comparisons to the 2018 Parkland shooting, where a sheriff’s deputy similarly did not engage the shooter. In the aftermath, several families of Uvalde victims have initiated lawsuits against law enforcement and other entities, seeking accountability for the events that transpired. The case continues to unfold as the community grapples with the impact of the tragedy and the ongoing legal proceedings.