AMNA NAWAZ: Former school police officer# Adrian Gonzales was acquitted Wednesday## on charges that he failed to act# against the gunman during crucial## early moments of the mass shooting at# Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

The 2022 school shooting, one of# the deadliest in American history,## left 19 children and two teachers# dead.

Gonzales was one of the first## officers to arrive and one of just two# charged for their initial response.

At## least 370 law enforcement officers# ultimately rushed to the school.

Jesse Rizzo, whose 9-year-old niece,## Jackie Cazares, was killed that# day, spoke after the verdict.

JESSE RIZZO, Uvalde Victim Family Member: I# was very hopeful for guilty verdicts.

I mean,## at stake, what do we have?

We have children# at stake, absolutely innocent children that## did everything that they were trained# to do, hide, turn the lights off.

But the officer that was trained to do exactly,# to encounter, to go towards the shooter,## to listen to the gunshot, everything, right,# and what does he do?

Sit back for an hour## and change -- I'm sorry -- for a minute in# chains while the massacre continues to happen.

AMNA NAWAZ: For more on the trial and# how the Uvalde community is reacting,## I'm joined by Tony Plohetski.

He's investigative# reporter for The Austin-American Statesman.

Tony, thanks for joining us.

So, Gonzales was facing 29 counts of# abandoning or endangerin.. were prosecutors saying he did wrong# and how did his defense team respond?

TONY PLOHETSKI, The Austin-American# Statesman: Amna, this case was,## according to experts, going to be# legally complicated from the outset.

But prosecutors contend that there were a# couple of crucial minutes when Officer Gonzales,## who was one of the first officers to arrive at# the elementary school, could have intervened## or even distracted the gunman prior to# his entry into Robb Elementary School.

But his defense set forward a case in which# they said he took a number of actions to,## in fact, protect children that day.

He# took a number of steps.

And they say that## he was also operating in a very confusing,# quickly moving and highly dynamic situation.

AMNA NAWAZ: What about some of the# families?

We know they were in the## courtroom during this trial.

You heard from# one of the uncles there.

And people have## been fighting for accountability.

How# were they reacting to this acquittal?

TONY PLOHETSKI: This is the latest in a profound## disappointment for the families of# those 19 children and two teachers.

They have been calling for action in the 3.5# years since the shooting.

They, of course,## went to state lawmakers to try to press for# some sort of gun reform.

And they also were## hoping that they would receive some measure# of accountability at the criminal courthouse.

Amna, many of them traveled hundreds of miles# from their home in Uvalde to Corpus Christi,## where this trial was held, for a change of venue,# but, again, leaving that courthouse and that## courtroom profoundly disappointed in the outcome,# but, as we also know, looking ahead to the future,## where there will be another trial of former Uvalde# School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo.

AMNA NAWAZ: And, Tony, what do we# know about that upcoming trial?## Does this acquittal and this trial mean# anything for that other upcoming trial?

TONY PLOHETSKI: Legal experts I have been# talking to today say that the ability -- and## we know that prosecutors did have the ability# to meet with jurors who delivered that not## guilty verdict yesterday evening -- that they# did have a chance to receive their feedback.

And so what legal experts say is that they# will likely take that information and use it## to continue to firm up their case against# the former police chief.

But, Amna, it's## also very important to note that Officer# Adrian Gonzales and the police chief,## the former police chief, are not similarly# situated in terms of their actions that day.

Experts say they took very different# actions and also had very different## responsibilities.

So it is likely, according# to numerous experts we have talked to today## who have been following these cases,# that the prosecution almost undoubtedly## will proceed in coming months in this# case against the former police chief.

AMNA NAWAZ: Tony, I have got less than# a minute left, but I have to ask you,## because I know you have covered this# shooting, as have I, since it happened,## in the 3.5 years in this tight-knit community# in Uvalde, how are they doing today?

TONY PLOHETSKI: I think that many of# them continue to press forward.

They## want accountability, but also the profound# grief in that community still exists today,## as parents try to, as best as# anyone could possibly do so,## move forward with their lives with what# happened to them that terrible day in 2022.

AMNA NAWAZ: We should note those# children killed that day today## would be 12 or 13 years old.

Our# thoughts are with their families.

Tony Plohetski of The Austin-American# Statesman, thank you for joining us.

TONY PLOHETSKI: Thank you.