Former Uvalde faculty police officer Adrian Gonzales says he has no regrets about his actions almost 4 years in the past when he was the primary officer to reply to the mass taking pictures at Robb Elementary Faculty.
In his first interview since being acquitted Wednesday night time all counts, Gonzales stated he stood by his actions and argued he was scapegoated by prosecutors in search of somebody accountable.
“You may sit right here and inform me all you need about what I’d have performed, or what you’ll have performed. Till you are in that blend, you may’t inform me something,” Gonzales instructed ABC Information’ John Quiñones.
Former Uvalde faculty police officer Adrian Gonzales spoke with ABC Information’ John Quiñones after his acquittal.
ABC Information
The police response to the mass taking pictures has been the topic of intense criticism within the years since 19 college students and two academics have been killed on the faculty.
Practically 400 legislation enforcement officers responded that day, nevertheless it took 77 minutes for officers to mount a counterassault. Gonzales was charged with 29 counts of kid endangerment — certainly one of two officers to face felony costs for his function within the police response. After a two-week trial, a jury acquitted Gonzales on all counts after seven hours of deliberations, prompting frustration from some of the families of victims who attended the trial.
Evadulia Orta, proper, rubs the shoulder of Javier Cazares as they react to the announcement that the jury discovered former Uvalde faculty district police officer Adrian Gonzales not responsible on the Nueces County Courthouse, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Sam Owens/The San Antonio Categorical-Information through AP
“We had a bit hope, nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient,” stated Jacinto Cazares, whose 9-year-old daughter Jackie died within the taking pictures. “Once more, we’re failed. I do not even know what to say.”
Gonzales stated he was grateful to the jury for the decision however stated he understands that the households have been annoyed with the end result.
“No matter I say to them, I do know it isn’t going to ease their ache, however … they’re all the time in my prayers, , to allow them to begin therapeutic,” he stated.
Moms of Robb Elementary Faculty taking pictures victims, from left, Sandra Torres, Veronica Luevanos, and Felicha Martinez cry collectively outdoors the Nueces County Courthouse, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas, after former Uvalde faculty district police officer Adrian Gonzales was discovered not responsible.
Sam Owens/The San Antonio Categorical-Information through AP
Talking with ABC Information, Gonzales walked via his actions the day of the taking pictures and stated he did all he may to cease the violence. After arriving on the faculty within the late morning of the final day of faculty, Gonzales stated he didn’t see the shooter however was one of many first officers to attempt to enter Robb Elementary. Gonzales stated he solely retreated from inside the college constructing as a result of he acquired a direct order from his commanding officer.
“I did one of the best that I may with the data I used to be getting,” he stated, including, “I do not remorse it, as a result of I took an order from my chief at the moment.”
Gonzales, 52, first started working as a college police officer after a decade with the Uvalde Police Division. He beforehand spent 18 years as a trainer, coached a neighborhood soccer staff in Uvalde, and refereed youth sports activities video games. Since his indictment, Gonzales stated he looks like a pariah in Uvalde and stated he needed to relocate along with his household.
“Working with youngsters was a ardour for me,” he stated. “After I obtained the chance to return again to the college as an officer, I took it and, sadly, it isn’t the identical.”
Gonzales stated he believes all of his actions that day have been justified and that he was selectively prosecuted.
“When the movies began taking part in, I spotted that they handpicked me,” he stated. “That they had an excuse for everyone else. They did this, they did that, , however I had to do that, I had to do this.”
Former Uvalde faculty police officer Adrian Gonzales (middle) is seen along with his attorneys Jason Goss (left) and Nico LaHood (proper) throughout an ABC Information interview after his acquittal.
ABC Information
His legal professional, Nico LaHood, argued that prosecutors charged him as a result of they thought he could be “a straightforward goal.”
“He was the bottom man on the totem pole. He was the primary on the scene,” LaHood stated. “While you actually take a look at the scenario within the totality of the circumstances, you see that Adrian went to the hazard initially, after which additional went to the hazard when he was one of many first 5 officers that went to that constructing.”
One other Gonzales legal professional, Jason Goss, argued that prosecutors did the victims of the taking pictures a disservice by charging Gonzales, offering them false hope that his conviction would possibly ship accountability.
“The injustice was in beginning by telling the household that Adrian was accountable as a result of he was not,” he stated. “The jury has decided that he was not, they usually got here to the proper verdict, however after all, the household does not really feel appropriate, however that is as a result of they have been instructed one thing totally different.”
Gonzales stated he fears his trial and the need to carry particular person cops accountable may need pulled focus away from points that may make a distinction sooner or later, like higher coaching, response protocols or funding for varsity law enforcement officials.
(FILES) Crosses set as much as honor those that misplaced their lives in the course of the Robb Elementary Faculty taking pictures are seen in Uvalde, Texas on November 8, 2022. A US jury on January 21, 2026 acquitted the previous faculty police officer for his response to a 2022 mass taking pictures at a Texas elementary faculty which killed 21 folks, together with 19 kids — the the frustration of the victims’s households.
Mark Felix/AFP through Getty Photos
“It is going to occur once more. You understand, we do not know when, we do not know the place, however it will occur once more,” he stated. “Simply need this tragedy to make one other faculty higher, one other group higher, so no one has to undergo this.”
Uvalde District Lawyer Christina Mitchell declined to remark and has not defined her rationale for charging Gonzales and former Uvalde Police Chief Pete Arredondo.
Gonzales stated he speaks with Arredondo every day and believes he’s harmless. Arredondo was charged with 10 counts of kid endangerment for his response to the taking pictures, however his case has been delayed by a pending civil lawsuit.
“That is the primary battle, and we’ll win the second,” Gonzales stated.
An legal professional for Arredondo instructed ABC Information stated he’s wanting ahead to the chance for “full and full exoneration.”
ABC Information’ Juan Renteria contributed to this report.
