UVALDE, Texas – A motion to quash the indictment of former Uvalde CISD police Chief Pete Arredondo on criminal charges related to the Robb Elementary massacre was denied Thursday.
Judge Sid Harle denied the motion during a nearly 45-minute hearing inside the Uvalde County Justice Center, allowing the case to move forward. Former school district police officer Adrian Gonzales, accused of failing to protect children during the May 24, 2022, shooting, also appeared in court.
When Arredondo’s attorney told the judge that Arredondo never told officers to stand down or wait during the shooting, the gallery erupted in murmurs and several family members walked out.
The gunman killed 19 students and two teachers. Nearly 400 law enforcement agents responded to the school, but they took 77 minutes to confront the shooter.
Arredondo has repeatedly stated he was wrongfully charged and argued that the shooter was the one who endangered the victims, not law enforcement.
“He didn’t tell them to stand down and go have coffee and muffins. He said ‘don’t do anything that puts additional children at risk,‘” said Paul Looney, one of Arredondo’s attorneys.
“The video shows it. That’s all the proof we needed. He didn’t do his job,” said Javier Cazares, whose nine-year-old daughter Jackie was among the victims killed.
The trial for Arredondo and Gonzales is tentatively set for Oct. 20, 2025.
Arredondo’s lawyer claims the trial is unlikely to occur on the scheduled date, and a request for a continuance will be made.
Gonzales’ attorneys plan to file a motion seeking to change the venue in early 2025.
“It’s such a horrific event that happened in this community. And then you’re going to be asking people from the community to weight the evidence. Defense is going to be asking for a not guilty, an acquittal. They they have to live in the community where this tragedy happened,” said Nico LaHood, attorney for Gonzales.
Border Patrol and the Texas House Investigative Committee are not complying with discovery requests and are specifically trying to redact the names of witnesses, attorneys for the officers and prosecutors said Thursday.
BACKGROUND
Arredondo and Gonzales were indicted this summer following a lengthy investigation by a grand jury in Uvalde.
Gonzales faces 29 counts of abandoning/endangering a child, while Arredondo faces 10 counts of abandoning/endangering a child.
In a motion to quash the amended indictment filed last month, attorneys for Arredondo argued that the indictment does not charge a crime, because only the gunman placed children in danger.
The motion also argues that the indictment lacks elements of law, statutes outlining peace officer duties are vague and that Arredondo is immune from prosecution because he was a peace officer at the time of the shooting, records show.
“If the State is allowed to proceed in this manner, all Texas peace officers should be terrified,” the motion states.
In a response to the motion filed this week, prosecutors argued that child endangerment laws apply even if the danger originates from another person.
The response states specific reckless acts and omissions by Arredondo were properly included in the indictment.
They include allegations the then-chief failed to follow active shooter protocols and contributed to a delayed response from law enforcement by prioritizing evacuations over immediate actions, the response states.
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