ABC News Exclusive: Former Uvalde officer Adrian Gonzales speaks out after acquittal

[ad_1] Former Uvalde college 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 answer the mass taking pictures at Robb Elementary Faculty.

In his first interview since being acquitted Wednesday evening all counts, Gonzales mentioned 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 might have accomplished, or what you'll have accomplished. Till you are in that blend, you'll be able to't inform me something," Gonzales instructed ABC Information' John Quiñones.

Former Uvalde college 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 lecturers had been killed on the college.

Almost 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 -- one among two officers to face prison costs for his position within the police response. After a two-week trial, a jury acquitted Gonzales on all counts after seven hours of deliberations, prompting frustration from a number of the households 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 college 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 by way of AP

"We had a bit hope, nevertheless it wasn't sufficient," mentioned 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 mentioned he was grateful to the jury for the decision however mentioned he understands that the households had been annoyed with the result.

"No matter I say to them, I do know it isn't going to ease their ache, however ... they're at all times in my prayers, you already know, to allow them to begin therapeutic," he mentioned.

Moms of Robb Elementary Faculty taking pictures victims, from left, Sandra Torres, Veronica Luevanos, and Felicha Martinez cry collectively exterior the Nueces County Courthouse, Jan. 21, 2026, in Corpus Christi, Texas, after former Uvalde college district police officer Adrian Gonzales was discovered not responsible.

Sam Owens/The San Antonio Categorical-Information by way of AP

Talking with ABC Information, Gonzales walked via his actions the day of the taking pictures and mentioned he did all he might to cease the violence. After arriving on the college within the late morning of the final day of faculty, Gonzales mentioned he didn't see the shooter however was one of many first officers to attempt to enter Robb Elementary. Gonzales mentioned he solely retreated from inside the college constructing as a result of he obtained a direct order from his commanding officer.

"I did the perfect that I might with the data I used to be getting," he mentioned, 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 instructor, coached a neighborhood soccer group in Uvalde, and refereed youth sports activities video games. Since his indictment, Gonzales mentioned he appears like a pariah in Uvalde and mentioned he needed to relocate along with his household.

"Working with youngsters was a ardour for me," he mentioned. "Once I acquired the chance to return again to the college as an officer, I took it and, sadly, it isn't the identical."

Gonzales mentioned he believes all of his actions that day had been justified and that he was selectively prosecuted.

"When the movies began enjoying, I noticed that they handpicked me," he mentioned. "They'd an excuse for everyone else. They did this, they did that, you already know, however I had to do that, I had to do this."

Former Uvalde college police officer Adrian Gonzales (heart) 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 mentioned. "Whenever you actually have a look at the state of affairs 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 may ship accountability.

"The injustice was in beginning by telling the household that Adrian was accountable as a result of he was not," he mentioned. "The jury has decided that he was not, they usually got here to the right verdict, however in fact, the household does not really feel right, however that is as a result of they had been instructed one thing completely different."

Gonzales mentioned he fears his trial and the will to carry particular person cops accountable might need pulled focus away from points which 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 through 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 college police officer for his response to a 2022 mass taking pictures at a Texas elementary college which killed 21 folks, together with 19 youngsters -- the the frustration of the victims's households.

Mark Felix/AFP by way of Getty Pictures

"It may occur once more. You understand, we do not know when, we do not know the place, however it should occur once more," he mentioned. "Simply need this tragedy to make one other college higher, one other neighborhood higher, so no one has to undergo this."

Uvalde District Legal professional Christina Mitchell declined to remark and has not defined her rationale for charging Gonzales and former Uvalde Police Chief Pete Arredondo.

Gonzales mentioned he speaks with Arredondo each 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.