By Trendsetter Tribune 
Javier Cazares, whose 9-year-old daughter Jackie was killed in the 2022 Uvalde, Texas, mass shooting, expressed heartbreak after a jury acquitted former school district police officer Adrian Gonzales on all 29 counts of child endangerment.
“We had a little hope, but it wasn’t enough,” Cazares said outside court. “Again, we are failed. I don’t even know what to say.”
Prosecutors had argued that Gonzales ignored his training, putting the 19 students who died and 10 who survived at risk. His defense maintained he was unfairly blamed for broader law enforcement failures during the tragic event. Gonzales’ attorneys said he faced danger while responding and that the acquittal clears his name.
Jackie’s family voiced frustration with the verdict. Her uncle, Jesse Rizo, questioned what message it sends to officers responding to future mass shootings. “If you’re an officer, you can simply stand by, stand down, stand idle… and wait for everybody to be executed,” he said. Her aunt, Julissa Rizo, added, “There were two monsters on May 24. One was the shooter, the other was the one that never went in, that could have avoided this.”
Gonzales told reporters he plans to “pick up the pieces and move forward,” while his defense attorney expressed sympathy for the victims’ families, saying they will continue to pray for them.
Cazares also said he will attend the trial of former Uvalde Schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo, the on-site commander during the shooting, who faces similar charges. Arredondo’s trial has been delayed due to ongoing legal proceedings involving Border Patrol officers who responded to the massacre.