Campus Security Today News Briefs

From 2025 gun violence statistics showing signs of progress to the high-profile acquittal in the Uvalde shooting trial, we break down the latest shifts in the campus safety landscape.

• By Ralph C. Jensen
• March 06, 2026

Omnilert has released its 2025 Gun Violence Statistics, along with a new interactive infographic examining national and school-related gun violence trends. In 2025, the U.S. recorded 38,762 gun-violence deaths, highlighting the continued importance of prevention, early detection, and coordinated response.

The 2025 research shows improvement in several areas compared to 2024, including mass shootings and school-related incidents. While these shifts are encouraging, the data make it clear that gun violence remains a daily risk for schools, businesses, healthcare facilities, places of worship, and public spaces, which reinforces the need for sustained prevention efforts and readiness.

"All improvements matter, and we don't take that lightly," said Dave Fraser, CEO of Omnilert. "But with an average of more than 100 deaths per day, these numbers also remind us how much work remains to make our schools and public spaces truly safer."

Progress and Persistence: What the Numbers Show

Even with year-over-year improvement, the report shows that risk remains widespread and unpredictable. In 2025 alone, 4,463 children and teens were killed or injured by gun violence, reinforcing why schools and communities must keep strengthening prevention and preparedness. Every state has experienced at least one mass shooting in the past decade, and organizations across sectors continue to prepare for incidents that can unfold in seconds.

The 2025 statistics show that many violent events happen before an attacker enters a building. This highlights the importance of considering safety in both outdoor and indoor spaces.

Why Layered Security Matters

Experts agree that no single measure can prevent gun violence. Omnilert's analysis shows that using multiple layers of safety measures can be effective. These measures may include trained staff, access controls, education, and preparedness, along with new technologies like AI-based gun detection. These tools help organizations spot potential threats earlier and respond more quickly.

Organizations all across the United States have deployed Omnilert's AI gun detection technology as part of their overall safety strategy.

Swatting and False Threats on the Rise

The report also notes that swatting and false emergency threats increased in 2025, especially at schools and universities. Beyond disruption, these incidents carry real costs. These incidents disrupt operations, create fear, and strain public safety resources. This emphasizes the need for reliable systems to help detect threats, verify information, communicate effectively, and respond appropriately.

Campus Officer Acquitted in Uvalde Shooting Trial

A Texas jury cleared a former school district police officer of all charges tied to his response during the 2022 Robb Elementary shooting.

A Corpus Christi, Texas, jury has acquitted a former school district police officer of all charges based on accusations that he did not act during the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde, Texas. This is only the second prosecution of its kind.
Adrian Gonzales, a former Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District police officer, was the first member of law enforcement to get to the school while the 18-year-old gunman was still outside.

He was found not guilty on Wednesday of 29 counts of child endangerment or abandonment in what was the first criminal case stemming from the tragedy, which claimed the lives of 19 students and two teachers in May 2022.

Gonzales pleaded not guilty to all counts and did not testify in his own defense.

Prosecutors claimed Gonzales did not “follow and attempt to follow his active shooter training.”  They also said Gonzales did nothing to stop the shooter in the early moments of the shooting, despite having enough time and information.

The defense argued Gonzales did not see the gunman when he arrived at the school and worked to evacuate students from classrooms.

Hundreds of police rushed to the school to respond, but it took 77 minutes for them to confront and kill the shooter. Determined to be an excessive amount of time to mount a strategy, it has led to years of investigations and finger-pointing about the delay.

Gonzales declined to speak directly to the victims’ families in a news conference after the verdict. “No, not right now,” when asked if he wanted to say anything to the victim’s families.

The criminal case against Gonzales raised difficult legal questions about the responsibilities of police officers and who can be held accountable for a mass shooting. It was the second case ever brought against a school police officer accused of not acting during an active shooter situation.

In the first such case, a Florida jury acquitted the school resource officer who stayed outside during the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, after his attorney had argued the officer couldn’t tell where the gunfire was coming from.

Judge Sid Harle read the verdict in court after the jury deliberated for just over seven hours, before thanking the jury for their “close attention” and patience during the trial. “I know it was not easy for you,” Harle said to the jury. “I know everybody was drafted, nobody volunteered.”

Gonzales would have faced six months to two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000 for each count if convicted.

The Texas jury began deliberations three weeks into Gonzales’ trial. When Gonzales was acquitted, bereaved family members silently sobbed while others were seen holding their faces and wiping tears.

Three members of Gonzales’ family were seen standing and holding each other while crying, and the former officer was also emotional and in tears as he was cleared of all charges before hugging his defense lawyers.

This article originally appeared in the March April 2026 issue of Campus Security Today.