Trial continues for former Uvalde CISD officer

Mother of Uvalde school shooting victim testifies

Jennifer Garcia, the mother of Ellie Garcia, recalls the day of the shooting at Robb Elementary. Garcia remembers being told about the shooting and waiting to find out what had happened to her daughter.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The third day of testimony at the trial of former Uvalde CISD officer Adrian Gonzales, who is accused of abandoning the children killed in the 2022 elementary school massacre, began Friday morning.

So far in the trial, witness testimony has been heard from former teachers who sheltered in classrooms and district employees who were on the scene during the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. Forensic experts and federal agents have also weighed in on video from the shooting and evidence examined at the scene.

Uvalde shooting trial day 3

Friday's proceedings:

A specific witness to open the day was not announced at the end of Thursday's proceedings, but the state was still calling their witnesses to the stand.

Testimony supporting the prosecution's case continued throughout the day, including from a former Texas Ranger who reviewed the crime scene and the Deputy Chief Medical Examiner for Bexar County.

During the presentation of evidence, some photos were presented which the judge warned the audience were "gruesome" and "shocking."

At the end of the day, the mother of one shooting victim, 9-year-old Eliana Garcia, gave her recollection of the day of the shooting. Jennifer Garcia said Eliana had asked to come home early that day, but Jennifer told her to stay to participate in an end-of-year pizza party with her class.

Eliana Garcia

Eliana would have turned 10 on June 4, just a week after the shooting.

The day ended just before 5 p.m. Friday, and is set to return at 9 a.m. Monday.

Trial for former Uvalde officer

The backstory:

The trial was moved to Corpus Christi after defense attorneys argued that Gonzales could not receive a fair trial in Uvalde, the small community still reeling from the tragedy. A pool of 450 potential jurors was narrowed down to a final panel of 12.

Prosecutors allege that Gonzales ignored his active shooter training and failed to act as a teenage gunman killed 19 students and two teachers.

While the gunman remained inside a pair of interconnected classrooms, a swarm of nearly 400 officers from various agencies waited more than 70 minutes before a tactical team finally breached the room and killed the shooter.