Relatives and friends of the victims of the Uvalde school shooting expressed their anger towards former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales outside a jail courthouse after a procedural hearing related to the 2022 massacre. The shooting, which occurred on May 24, 2022, resulted in the deaths of 19 children and two teachers. The families of the victims were frustrated with the response of law enforcement officers, who waited over 70 minutes to breach the classroom where the gunman, armed with an AR-15 style rifle, was located. Former school district police chief Pete Arredondo has been accused of failing to assume command, potentially costing lives.
The families of the victims gathered outside the courthouse shouted “Coward!” at Gonzales and expressed their frustration at the slow pace of accountability for the officers involved in the tragedy. Many children trapped in the school during the shooting were calling for help, with some begging for rescue in 911 calls. Despite the pleas of families gathered outside the school, officers prevented them from entering to rescue their children. Arredondo and Gonzales have been charged in connection with the incident, with Arredondo facing charges of abandoning or endangering a child and Gonzales facing multiple counts of the same offense. Both have pleaded not guilty, and Arredondo has denied any hesitation on the part of officers during the response.
At a recent hearing, the families of the victims were able to confront Arredondo for the first time since the shooting, expressing their anger and frustration at the officers. Arredondo maintained his innocence and claimed he was not the officer in charge during the response to the shooting. The indictment against Arredondo alleges that he placed children in danger through his actions and inaction during the incident. Family members of the victims expressed their distress at seeing the officers “smiling and joking” while their children were no longer alive, calling for a swift and just resolution to the case.
During the hearing, Arredondo and Gonzales sat in the courtroom facing the charges against them, while family members sat behind the court rail, only a few feet away from the officers. Despite the tension and emotion in the courtroom, Arredondo did not make eye contact with the families of the victims. The indictment accuses Arredondo of evacuating officers and failing to take action to stop the shooter, resulting in a delay of over an hour before he was finally stopped by a Border Patrol tactical team. The families expressed frustration at the slow progress of the case, calling out the district attorney for delays in completing necessary documents and reports.
The families of the victims continue to seek justice for their lost loved ones, with many feeling that accountability has been lacking in the aftermath of the tragedy. The upcoming hearings and legal proceedings will determine the fate of Arredondo and Gonzales, who face charges related to the shooting. The confrontation outside the courthouse and the emotions on display underscore the deep impact of the Uvalde school shooting on the community. As the families of the victims wait for justice to be served, they remain determined to see those responsible held accountable for the lives lost in the senseless act of violence.
