Ex-Uvalde School Police Chief Faces Trial as Families Watch

The former chief of police for Uvalde schools is now on trial. Families of the victims watched from the courtroom this week, seeking justice almost four years after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary. Pete Arredondo, who was the school district's police chief during the 2022 attack, faces charges of abandoning and endangering a child. The trial centers on the law enforcement response to the shooting, which lasted more than an hour before the gunman was confronted and killed. Nineteen children and two teachers died in the May 24, 2022, attack. A damning state investigation later found critical failures in the police response. Arredondo has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could face years in prison. This trial is separate from an ongoing federal investigation into the police actions that day. For the families in attendance, the proceedings represent a long-awaited step toward accountability. The trial is expected to last two weeks.