Gunman's Ex-Teacher Heard Him Pound Locked Door As She Hid w/ Students

Mercedes Salas was teaching fourth grade at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, when a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers on May 24, 2022.

Salas testified in the child endangerment trial of former school district police officer Adrian Gonzales today (Wednesday, January 14, day 6). She taught the gunman in fourth grade, and he tried to get into her classroom but couldn't because her door was locked.

She recounted hearing gunshots and immediately initiating a lockdown and ensuring her door was locked. She instructed her students to hide quietly and pray. She was eventually evacuated by police, who identified themselves by showing a baton. She recognized the shooter as a former student from her 111 classroom.

01:40 "What is it that we would see when we walked into your classroom?"
"My door is right here and my desk is right here. I had a window here, a window here. My library area and my desk work."

03:33 "A lockdown is we turn off the lights, make sure that our door is locked and we are out of sight."

05:20 "We went to our classroom and they wanted to watch a movie, Zootopia."

06:20 "And what did you do when you heard the gunshot?"
"Well, at first I heard one gunshot because we were all watching the movie. Then I heard a gunshot, and that registered, and I just looked up, and then I heard but it was far when I heard it. Then I heard a second one, and that one was really close to the building, and one of my students heard the gunshot..."

08:01 "What did you do to make sure that the door was locked?"
"I stepped out of my classroom my door to make sure you know it was, and then I would also make sure I didn't open it so I knew my door was locked."

08:23 what did you do to make sure that the door was locked?
I stepped out of my classroom my door to make sure you know it was and then I would also make sure I didn't open so I knew my door was locked.

09:12 "I went outside by myself, but one of them was following me, because, because every drill, he always liked to follow me. You know, to do the drill."

10:40 "My kids were sitting down, except for one student. One student was standing, and as soon as I, as soon as I went into my classroom, I saw him standing."
"And I grabbed him, and I just went down with him like that. And as soon as I did that, I heard a gunshot inside the, in the hallway."

11:02 "When I heard the gunshot in the hallway, I immediately texted my my family and I said, 'Gunshots in the hallway. Pray for us.'"

13:13 Before the shots started going off, I heard pounding. I heard pounding like if somebody was pounding on my door, like the rattle of my doorknob and. Then I thought someone was trying to get in my room, so I started praying. I was talking to God like, 'Protect my door.' And after that, then I heard a lot of gunshots."

14:05 "I heard kids screaming. When they screamed, I heard the gunshots then I didn't hear them anymore, so I knew something happened to them."

15:20 "What did you tell your children to do at this point?"
"I just told them to keep on praying."

15:34 "The whole time. You're still thinking about how to protect your kids?" "Yes, I kept on staring at my door, making sure no one came in through my door."

16:48 "So then I told my kids to be quiet and and then I heard them say again, 'Is anyone in there?'"

17:25 "Who was the last one out of your classroom?"
"Me."
"Why is that?"
"When my last kiddo got out, I turned back and I started walking back to my classroom, to the middle of my room."
"Why is that?"
Because I had to make sure nobody stayed frozen. That was a possibility. It could have been a possibility."

18:27 "Can you explain to the jury what your thoughts are about your students that day, during this event?"
"My kids were so brave being so close to danger. They listened to my instructions to survive. I was very proud of them."

19:09 Gonzales' lawyer Jason Goss on cross-examination: "When that glass broke, and you realize that the police had come to get you out. What did you feel like at that time?"
"At the moment, I felt that someone was finally there to help us."

20:22 "You've already heard a gunshot, and that's why you're starting to lock down, right?"

23:00 "Did you recognize the person who you now know as the shooter?"
"Yes."
"And that person was one of your students in 111?"
"Yes."
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