Former Uvalde school police chief set to appear in court

Published: Friday, June 12, 2026 at 10:13 am

Former Uvalde school police chief Pete Arredondo is scheduled to appear in a Texas courtroom on Friday for a status conference that could significantly shape the future of his criminal trial. The judge overseeing the case is considering whether to move the trial out of Uvalde and is grappling with the potential delay caused by the refusal of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to cooperate with the prosecution.

Arredondo faces 10 counts of endangering students, stemming from his alleged failure to respond promptly to the 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. The criminal proceedings have been hampered by two ongoing civil lawsuits aimed at compelling testimony from agents of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Border Patrol Tactical Unit, who were involved in neutralizing the gunman.

The tragic events of May 24, 2022, saw 19 students and two teachers killed by a former student. Arredondo, who led the law enforcement response, is accused by prosecutors of deviating from his training by waiting approximately 77 minutes before agents entered the classroom where the gunman was located. This delay has been a central point of contention in the case.

The legal landscape for Arredondo's prosecution is complicated by a recent acquittal. Earlier this year, former school police officer Adrian Gonzales was found not guilty on similar charges after a three-week trial. This verdict left many victim families disheartened, with some viewing Arredondo's trial as a last hope for accountability.

Arredondo has maintained his innocence, asserting he acted according to his training and did not consider himself the incident commander. His attorney, Paul Looney, has suggested that the case against Arredondo is weaker than the one that failed to secure a conviction for Gonzales.

The upcoming hearing will address critical issues, including how the trial can proceed given the ongoing dispute with CBP and the possibility of relocating the trial, similar to the Gonzales case which was moved to find an impartial jury due to the community's deep connection to the tragedy. Both the District Attorney and Arredondo's defense have filed federal lawsuits to compel the testimony of three specific Border Patrol agents, whom prosecutors deem essential to the case. CBP attorneys, however, argue that the requests are unreasonable and could impact national security.

BNN's Perspective:
The legal proceedings surrounding the Uvalde shooting continue to be fraught with challenges, highlighting the complexities of inter-agency cooperation and the pursuit of justice for victims. The delays and legal hurdles underscore the need for clear protocols and accountability in critical incident responses. While the legal process unfolds, the focus remains on ensuring a fair and thorough examination of the events and the decisions made.

Tags: Pete Arredondo, Uvalde, Robb Elementary School, mass shooting, criminal trial, court, judge, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, CBP, Border Patrol Tactical Unit, endangering students, prosecutors, defense attorney, civil lawsuits, testimony, acquittal, Adrian Gonzales, victim families, accountability, venue change, status conference

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