Testimony wraps in Texas officer’s trial over response to 2022 Uvalde college taking pictures

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Witness testimony ended Tuesday within the trial of a former Uvalde, Texas, college police officer accused of failing in his obligation to cease a gunman within the crucial first minutes of the 2022 Robb Elementary College assault, establishing the case to go to the jury.

Defence legal professionals for Adrian Gonzales rested their case after calling simply two witnesses, together with a police ways skilled to bolster their declare that Gonzales did the perfect he may after driving onto campus amid a chaotic scene.

Gonzales has pleaded not responsible to 29 counts of kid abandonment or endangerment. He faces as much as two years in jail if convicted.

Gonzales didn't take the stand in his personal defence. Closing arguments are scheduled Wednesday earlier than the jury begins deliberations.

Prosecutors rested their case after 9 days of testimony from 36 witnesses in a trial that started Jan. 5. Gonzales's solely two witnesses included a lady who labored throughout the road from the varsity who instructed jurors she noticed the shooter ducking between automobiles and making an attempt to remain out of view — testimony that would reinforce Gonzales' claims that he by no means noticed the gunman.

Emotional testimony Jurors have heard at instances gripping and emotional testimony from academics who recounted the terrifying moments when the 18-year-old gunman entered the varsity and killed 19 college students and two academics. Prosecutors have offered graphic photographs from inside the lecture rooms and dropped at the witness stand officers who described the chaos of the response.

At one level early within the trial, the sister of one of many academics killed that day was faraway from the courtroom after an indignant outburst after one of many officers testified.

The prosecution's case has tugged on the uncooked emotion and shock of the carnage of Might 24, 2022, as they try to point out what may have been prevented had Gonzales intercepted the gunman within the early seconds of the assault.

Prosecutors allege the 52-year-old Gonzales, a 10-year police veteran who had led an energetic shooter response coaching course two months earlier than the taking pictures, deserted his coaching and didn't attempt to cease gunman Salvador Ramos earlier than he entered the varsity.

"Each second counts in an energetic shooter state of affairs." particular prosecutor Invoice Turner stated Tuesday, drilling down on three minutes between when Gonzales first arrived and when he went into the constructing. "Each second, extra victims can die if a police officer is standing and ready."

Gonzales, nonetheless, has insisted he did not freeze within the chaotic early moments and by no means noticed the gunman. His legal professionals insist three officers on the opposite facet of the varsity noticed the gunman nonetheless exterior and did not fireplace a shot. Physique digicam footage exhibits Gonzales being among the many first group of officers to enter a shadowy and smokey hallway making an attempt to succeed in the killer in a classroom.

Uncommon case to see in court docket The trial in Corpus Christi, Texas, is a uncommon case of a police officer charged with failing to cease a legal act to guard lives.

The trial has included some graphic and violent proof.

Along with the classroom photographs, jurors have heard recordings of the jarring gunshots and listened to a medical expert describe the deadly wounds to the youngsters. In addition they heard transient, but anguished testimony from a number of mother and father of youngsters have been killed or wounded that day.

Instructor Arnulfo Reyes described seeing a "black shadow with a gun" enter the room earlier than he was shot and all 11 of his college students have been killed. Different academics described younger college students, some as younger as second grade, grabbing security scissors to assault the gunman if he got here into their room.

Prosecutors stumbled at instances whereas presenting their case, together with inconsistent testimony from witnesses and mistakenly exhibiting a photograph from contained in the classroom that confirmed "LOL" written in blood.

A instructor who was one of many early witnesses was dismissed as a result of prosecutors had not disclosed earlier than trial that she recalled seeing the gunman wearing black approaching the varsity.

Defence legal professionals requested for a mistrial on the second day however have been denied. After the state rested, they requested the choose to find out the state had not proved it case. That additionally was denied.

Gonzales was one in every of 376 federal, state and native officers swarmed to the varsity because the assault unfolded. It could take greater than an hour for a tactical staff to breach a classroom and kill the gunman.