The criminal trial of former Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) police officer Adrian Gonzales is underway in Corpus Christi, where he faces 29 felony counts of child endangerment and abandonment for his actions during the May 24, 2022, shooting at Robb Elementary School. Prosecutors argue that Gonzales failed to follow active-shooter training and placed students in imminent danger by not taking action while the gunman remained inside adjoining classrooms for more than 70 minutes. Gonzales has pleaded not guilty.

The trial, moved from Uvalde because of concerns over pretrial publicity, has drawn national attention. Jury selection drew from a pool of 450 candidates, reflecting the difficulty of seating an impartial jury in the community most directly affected by the shooting.

The proceedings are seen as a crucial test of police accountability in mass-shooting situations. Many Uvalde families view the trial as a long-overdue opportunity for justice after years of investigations into the nearly 400 officers who responded that day. “This trial is about showing that our children’s lives mattered and that those responsible will answer for their actions,” said Maria Cortez, whose niece was among the students killed at Robb Elementary.

This trial has been marked by multiple procedural complications, most notably involving the testimony of former Robb Elementary teacher Stephanie Hale. Her account changed from her earlier statements, which prompted objections from the defense, arguing that the prosecutors failed to disclose the new information ahead of time. Her testimony suggested the shooter was closer to Gonzales than previously believed, a detail the defense said amounted to “trial by ambush.” In response, Judge Sid Harle paused the trial for a day to examine the issue and ultimately struck Hale’s testimony from the record. The judge found the prosecution’s nondisclosure negligent but not intentional, and therefore denied the defense’s motion for a mistrial.

Testimony has resumed following the one-day pause, and the court continues to hear evidence regarding Gonzales’ actions during the crucial moments before and after the shooter entered the school building.

The case is one of the few criminal prosecutions of law enforcement officers involved in the Uvalde shooting, which has been widely criticized in state and federal investigations.

The public opinion surrounding the trial is divided and shaped by grief, anger, and a broader debate over police accountability. Local reporting notes that the trial has “reopened wounds that never fully healed,” highlighting the ongoing emotional impact on the Uvalde community, located 70 miles from Devine.

As testimony continues, the court is expected to examine both Gonzales’ decisions and the broader law enforcement response on the day of the shooting.