In a gripping testimony on the fifth day of the trial, Arnulfo Reyes, a teacher who survived the 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, painted a chilling picture of the attack. He described seeing a ‘black shadow’ holding a gun before being shot, and prayed for the chaos to end, expressing sorrow for his students, none of whom survived. Reyes recounted the traumatic moments as former Uvalde schools police officer Adrian Gonzales faced charges of child endangerment for allegedly failing to respond effectively during the crisis.
Reyes's testimony detailed the shooter, Salvador Ramos, taunting him after he was shot. ‘I fell to the ground,’ Reyes said, ‘and he shot the kids.’ His insights came as jurors were shown harrowing surveillance footage capturing Ramos entering the school and beginning to fire. The emotional weight of the trial has been heavy, as Gonzales is accused of neglecting his active shooter training by not confronting Ramos when he had the opportunity, leading to dire consequences for the children and teachers in the classroom.
The court has also listened to emotional recordings of 911 calls made during the shooting, depicting the fear experienced by both students and teachers. This trial marks a rare instance where a police officer may be held criminally responsible for failing to act in an emergency situation. Both Gonzales and former Uvalde Police Chief Pete Arredondo face scrutiny, with Arredondo's trial pending. As the case unfolds, the community continues to grapple with the painful legacy of that tragic day.
