Prosecutors on Tuesday rested in the trial of Adrian Gonzales, the former Uvalde, Texas, school police officer faced with 29 counts of child abandonment or endangerment, arising from his inaction during the critical moments of the Robb Elementary School shooting in 2022.
The prosecution concluded its case after over a week filled with emotionally charged testimonies from teachers and parents affected by the tragedy, aiming to showcase that every second counts in active shooter scenarios.
Gonzales, who is pleading not guilty, faces a potential two-year prison sentence if convicted. He has consistently maintained that he never saw the gunman during the attack, which resulted in the deaths of 19 students and two teachers.
Witness testimonies detailed the horrific scene inside the school, with jurors presented with graphic evidence and emotional accounts that vividly depicted the confusion and chaos as the gunman entered the premises.
The defense has begun their case, asserting that Gonzales did not freeze but instead did not have a clear line of sight to the shooter. His defense emphasized that other officers at the same scene also failed to act in the midst of the turmoil.
The trial represents a rare prosecution of a police officer for failing to intervene during a violent incident, drawing significant public and media attention as many question the expectations on law enforcement during such emergencies.
