Victims’ loved ones, including Jesse Rizo, uncle of Jackie Cazares, want to attend every day of the trial if possible and hope justice is finally served.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A former school police officer who responded to the Robb Elementary shooting is set to go on trial in January.
Adrian Gonzales was indicted last year on 29 felony counts of abandoning or endangering a child, stemming from his response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary on May 24, 2022, that left 19 children and two teachers dead. Gonzales pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Gonzales was among the first officers to arrive at the school after a teenaged gunman entered the school and barricaded himself inside adjoining classrooms. Prosecutors allege Gonzales failed to act despite hearing gunshots and receiving information about the shooter’s location.
The trial is scheduled to begin next month in Corpus Christi after a judge approved a change of venue request. Gonzales’ legal counsel argued it would be impossible for a jury in Uvalde County to remain impartial.
Jesse Rizo is always thinking about his niece, of 9-year-old victim Jackie Cazares, who died in the Robb Elementary shooting.
“We talk about Jackie often,” Rizo said.
For Rizo, the upcoming trial represents another step toward accountability. Rizo said his family continues to grieve over the loss of Cazares, who dreamed of one day becoming a veterinarian.
“Ultimately, she had a pulse when she finally made it out of that room. If somebody would have acted earlier then perhaps more children would have been saved,” Rizo said. “The thought of what the children went through, allowing 77 minutes to take place of nothing but hell, living hell, and what the survivors, what the victims endured, is unacceptable for us not to show up to see justice served until the very end.”
Per the indictment, Gonzales is accused of failing to follow active shooter training protocols, including not engaging the gunman despite being informed of his general location.
State and federal investigations have cited widespread communication failures, leadership breakdowns and hesitation among responding officers during the 77-minute delay before law enforcement personnel breached the classroom and killed the shooter.
Gonzales is one of two former Uvalde CISD police officers criminally charged in connection with law enforcement’s response on that dark day.
Former Uvalde CISD Police Chief Pete Arredondo was also indicted and charged with multiple counts of abandoning or endangering a child. Arredondo, who was widely criticized for his on-scene command decisions and for treating the situation as a barricaded subject rather than an active shooter, pleaded not guilty and is awaiting his own trial date.
Rizo said he and other victims’ family members plan to attend Gonzales’ trial every day, even though it will be held hours away from Uvalde.
“It’s important for the families to be there,” Rizo said. “We have to make sure they’re held accountable.”
Jury selection is set for Jan. 5 in Nueces County and the trial is expected to last about three weeks.