The trial of former Uvalde CISD police officer Adrian Gonzales got underway Tuesday, with a jury seated and opening statements expected to begin.
Gonzales is charged with child endangerment in connection with the law enforcement response to the May 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, where 19 children and two teachers were killed.
He faces 29 counts of abandoning or endangering a child: one count for each child who was inside the classrooms. Prosecutors allege Gonzales failed to confront the shooter despite being among the first officers on scene.
In opening statements Tuesday morning, Special Prosecutor Bill Turner told jurors that Gonzales was a highly trained, 10-year law enforcement veteran who failed to take action after the shooter crashed his vehicle and began firing.
Turner argued that Gonzales did not take steps that could have distracted, delayed, or impeded the gunman — actions prosecutors say could have saved lives.
"He was trained to go to the corner of a building and distract, delay, and impede the gunman while help is arriving," Turner told jurors that instead of taking action, Gonzales relied on radio communication until other officers arrived.
"So why are we here?" Turner said. "When a child is in danger and calls 911, we have the right to expect a response."
The defense countered in its opening statement by focusing on the timeline of events and arguing that Gonzales was not assigned to Robb Elementary School at the time of the shooting. Gonzales's attorney also emphasized that Gonzales never fired a weapon and was not the shooter, arguing he should not be held responsible for the massacre.
Before opening statements, Gonzales's defense attorney asked the judge to exclude graphic autopsy photos of the children, arguing the images could unfairly prejudice the jury. The judge ruled that some photos may be admitted but said he will decide which ones on a case-by-case basis as the trial proceeds.
The judge also placed limits on courtroom language, allowing the children to be referred to as "victims," but not as victims of Gonzales.
The jury was selected from a pool of more than 400 potential jurors. The trial is being held in Corpus Christi in Nueces County after a judge granted a change of venue, citing concerns that an impartial jury could not be seated in Uvalde. During jury selection Monday, presiding Judge Sid Harle acknowledged it was likely no one in the jury pool had not already heard about the shooting.
The case marks one of the first major courtroom tests of efforts to hold law enforcement officers criminally accountable for actions taken — or not taken — during the Uvalde school shooting response.
Former Uvalde CISD police chief Pete Arredondo is the only other officer to be indicted. He is awaiting a separate trial.
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