At least 19 children and two teachers were killed when gunmen opened fire on Rob Elementary School in Ovalde, west of San Antonio, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
MORE: Live updates for Texas elementary school shooting
The alleged gunman – identified by officials as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, a student at Uvalde High School – is dead, authorities said.
Here’s what we know about the victims so far.
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Jacklyn Jaylen Cazares, 10
Jacinto Cazares, the father of 10-year-old Jacklyn Jaylen Cazares shooting victim, told ABC News that his “little girl” was “full of life”.
“She had the biggest heart. Jackie was the one who did everything to help anyone. She gives me some consolation, that she would be the little cracker who would have done anything to help her classmates in this very scary scenario.” he said.
Cazares told ABC News he blamed the school and police for the massacre.
“There were at least 40 lawyers armed to the teeth, but they did nothing [until] it was too late. The situation could have ended quickly if they had better regular education, and we as a community saw it first hand. I own a gun and I do not blame the guns used in this tragedy. “I’m angry at how easy it is to get one and be young to buy it,” he said.
Jacqueline’s cousin, 10-year-old Annabelle Rodriguez, was also killed in the massacre.
Eliachna Garcia
Relatives of 10-year-old Eliahna Garcia learned late Tuesday that she was among the dead, said her aunt, Siria Arizmemdi.
“She was very happy and very outgoing,” Arizmendi, a fifth-grade teacher at Flores Elementary School in the same school district, said Wednesday. “She enjoyed dancing and playing sports. She was great in the family, she loved being with the family.”
Uziyah Garcia, 8
In downtown Uvalde, Manny Renfro learned that his grandson, 8-year-old Uziyah Garcia, was among those killed, the Associated Press said.
“The sweetest little boy I have ever met,” said Renfro. “I do not say that just because he was my grandson.”
Renfro said Uziya last visited him in San Angelo during the spring break.
“We started throwing football together and I taught him pass patterns. He was such a fast boy and he could catch a ball so well,” said Renfro. “There were some projects that I would say he would remember and do exactly as we trained.”
Amerie jo Garza, 10
Amerie jo Garza’s father, Angel Garza, told ABC News that his daughter had just turned 10 two weeks ago – her birthday was on May 10. Garza met with U.S. Marshals on Tuesday night, who informed him that his daughter had been killed by gunfire from her elementary school.
“Thank you all for your prayers and help in finding my baby,” Garza told ABC News. “Found. My little love now flies high with the angels above. Please, do not take even a second for granted. Embrace your family. Tell them you love them. I love you Amerie jo. Take care of your brother for me . “
Xavier Lopez, 10
Fourth grader Xavier Lopez was killed in a shooting at an elementary school on Tuesday, his family confirmed to ABC News.
According to his cousin, Xavier’s mom was at his awards ceremony one to two hours before filming, unaware that it would be the last time she would see him.
“When his parents had a barbecue, he was always the life of the party … He loved dancing. He always liked doing things with his mom. Making face masks. Doing TikToks. He just did a TikTok the other day together of. ” The child’s grandmother, Amelia Sandoval, told ABC News.
Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10
Zeke Luevanos, the cousin of the victims of the shootings Jayce Carmelo Luevanos and Jailah Nicole Silguero, called the children “angels” who “always had a smile on their face”.
“I can not believe this happened to our angels, since our grandfather just died two weeks ago so much loss in such a short time,” said Silguero.
Eva Mireles, 44
Eva Mireles, a fourth-grade elementary school teacher, was shot dead, her aunt Lydia Martinez Delgado confirmed to ABC News. She has been a school district teacher for about 17 years, Delgado said.
“I am outraged that these shootings continue. These children are innocent. The rifles should not be easily accessible to everyone,” Delgado said. “This is my hometown, a small community of less than 20,000. I never imagined this would happen especially to loved ones.”
“All we can do is pray hard for our country, our state, our schools and especially our families,” he said.
She was remembered as a loving mother and husband.
“It was adventurous. I would definitely say these wonderful things about her. She will definitely miss it a lot,” said Amber Ybarra, a 34-year-old relative from San Antonio.
Mireles posted a letter on the school’s website at the beginning of the school year, introducing herself to her new students.
“Welcome to the 4th grade! We have a wonderful year ahead of us!” Mireles wrote that she taught for 17 years, enjoyed running and hiking, and had a “supportive, fun, and loving family.” She said her husband was a school district police officer and they had an older daughter and three “furry friends”.
Annabelle Rodriguez, 10
Aunt Polly Flores identified her two nieces Annabelle Rodriguez, 10, and Jacklyn Jaylen Cazares, 10, as students killed in the Uvalde shooting.
They were both in fourth grade and in the same class at Robb Elementary, he said.
Jailah Nicole Silguero, 11
Veronica Luevanos, whose 10-year-old daughter Jaliah Nicole Silguero was among the victims, told Univision in a tearful interview that her daughter did not want to go to school on Tuesday and that the girl seemed to feel that something was going to happen.
Jalia’s cousin also died in the shooting.
Eliahana Cruz Torres
Adolfo Cruz spent more than 10 hours standing outside Robb Elementary to find answers for his granddaughter, Eliahana Cruz Torres.
He found out he was killed late Tuesday night, Cruz told ABC News on Wednesday morning.
Rojelio Torres, 10
The mother of 10-year-old Rochelio Torres confirmed to ABC News that her son was killed in the shooting. She said her boyfriend was a “very smart and affectionate child”.
Irma Garcia
Garcia’s family members confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday that she had lost her life in the shooting.
Garcia, who was to celebrate her 25th wedding anniversary, served as co-teacher of Robb Elementary’s teacher Eva Mireles, the family said. They were in the same class when they were killed.
Garcia has been a teacher for 23 years, all of whom served in the Municipal Rob.
She is survived by her husband and their four children.
The Associated Press and ABC television stations contributed to this report.
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Uvalde Texas school shooting victims: Teacher killed identified as Eva Mireles; Amerie jo Garza, Xavier Lopez among children dead Source link Uvalde Texas school shooting victims: Teacher killed identified as Eva Mireles; Amerie jo Garza, Xavier Lopez among children dead