Uvalde Sgt. Says He Didn't Know Why Cop Asked For 'Permission To Fire'

Adrian Gonzales' lawyer Nico LaHood began cross-examining former Sgt. T. Daniel Coronado of the Uvalde Police Department in Gonzales' child endangerment trial today (January 15, day 7).

Coronado was with Gonzales at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022, when a gunman was inside a fourth grade building fatally shooting 19 students and two teachers. Juror during his direct-exam saw video from his body-worn camera and heard traffic from the police dispatch radio.

22:21 One of the biggest moments of Coronado's testimony is when he said he heard another officer ask him for "permission to fire," but he didn't answer because he doesn't know why he would ask that. LaHood asked him about that again in cross.

Despite hearing gunfire and being informed of a person running towards the school, Sgt. Coronado, Gonzales other officers did not immediately pursue the shooter but instead positioned themselves to intercept him.

LaHood's questions focused on the tactical decisions made by officers, including the decision to call for SWAT and the importance of officer safety.

LaHood will continue cross-examining Coronado on Friday (January 16, day 8) after trial recessed early on Thursday because a juror left to be with his wife who was hospitalized.

06:35 "And then shortly after that, your concerns were verified, because they said 'shots fired'?"
"Yes, sir."

09:40 "A dispatcher is going to be performing their duties dispatching, but they're also receiving 911 calls and landline local calls, and they're dispatching officers from either these landlines or 911 calls that are coming in."

12:27 LaHood: "He describes to the dispatcher the importance and the severity of the situation. He pleads with her to please get people to hurry up. He actually gives a description of the person shooting. He's wearing black, and he's running towards the school."

14:18 Coronado: "You're asking me if, if that information was passed on, I never received that information. I don't know whether it was broadcast and I didn't hear it, or I don't know if it wasn't broadcast at all. Does that make sense?"
"Yes, sir. And that's a great answer, but if it wasn't broadcast at all, that would have been critical information for all the officers to know?" LaHood asks.
"Yes, sir, it would have," Coronado answers

21:55 "You want to make sure that you're factually justified, but you don't have to ask for permission from a supervisor?"
"Correct."
"And so that was odd for you, right?"
"Yes."
"Because you don't even know what he's talking about."

22:21 "I don't know who he saw or what he saw. He just, I know he asked permission to fire."

28:41 "And it wouldn't make sense for him to shoot someone that either wasn't a threat to him, that he didn't see how to weapon, or he didn't know was shooting a weapon, right? ... You're not trained to do that?"
"Correct."

32:24 "I never saw anyone that was a suspect. I never saw anyone with a gun. I never saw him enter the school. I never saw any of that. My whole intent was to drive around to intercept the individual that was shooting."

36:09 "If someone's running to the school, they're either gonna run into the school or this way. So I'm asking and try to remember what you were thinking. Why wouldn't you drive this way and make another assessment and try to see this person?"
"Because again, when he when they were saying he's running to the school or through the school, I was I was anticipating to intercept them that way. So if someone runs through the school, that means I was still, I was still going to run through, I was going to work my way through which I did pass through the school."

42:45 "What does that mean, 'Totality of the Circumstances'?"
"In hindsight, after everything has been investigated, the totality of everything, everything, everything that."

45:35 video footage

51:42 "And he can't see, right? He doesn't know when, when this guy enters the building."

56:57 "Adrian didn't set up out here, right? He drove into the eye of this. He's driving into a shooter running towards the school. Where does he drive towards?" LaHood asks
"He drove into the school," Coronado answers

01:04:06 "Adrian and yourself and maybe one other person are asking, 'Are there kids in this classroom?'"

01:08:26 "He could have been distracted by you in the hallway, right?" LaHood implying the cops just being there saved lives

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