As desperate families continued to wait for news of their children, the names of the first victims of the mass shooting at Robb elementary school in Uvalde, near the Texas border with Mexico, have begun to emerge.
State officials and police said the 18-year-old suspect, identified as Salvador Ramos, opened fire at 11.30am local time on Tuesday, shooting dead 19 pupils and two adults, both teachers. Ramos was killed, apparently shot by police, after fleeing the scene.
The family of Uziyah Garcia said the eight-year-old boy was among those who died. “The sweetest little boy that I’ve ever known,” Garcia’s grandfather, Manny Renfro, told the Associated Press.
Renfro said he had last seen his grandson when he came to visit during spring break. “We started throwing the football together and I was teaching him pass patterns,” he said. “Such a fast little boy and he could catch a ball so good.”
Xavier Javier Lopez, 10, was also killed in the shooting, his cousin, Lisa Garza, 54, from Arlington in Texas, said. “He was just a loving 10-year-old little boy, just enjoying life, not knowing that this tragedy was going to happen today,” Garza said.
“He was very bubbly, loved to dance with his brothers, his mom. This has just taken a toll on all of us.” Garza told local ABC News affiliate that her cousin’s mother had been with him during an awards ceremony at the school hours before the shooting.
The father of Amerie Jo Garza, who celebrated her 10th birthday just over a fortnight ago, identified his daughter as another of the children killed. “Thank you everyone for the prayers and help trying to find my baby,” Angel Garza told ABC News.
“She’s been found. My little love is now flying high with the angels above. Please don’t take a second for granted. Hug your family. Tell them you love them. I love you Amerie Jo. Watch over your baby brother for me.”
Garza was among several parents who criticised US gun laws. “We should have more restrictions, especially if these kids [the gunmen] are not in their right state of mind and all they want to do is just hurt people, especially innocent children going to school,” he said.
The Washington Post reported that Jose Flores, also aged 10, was also one of the victims. His uncle, Christopher Salazar, told the newspaper: “He was a very happy little boy. He loved both his parents … and loved to laugh and have fun.”
A fourth-grade teacher, Eva Mireles, 44, was confirmed as one of the two adults killed. “She was adventurous. I would definitely say those wonderful things about her. She is definitely going to be very missed,” said a relative, Amber Ybarra.
Mireles’ aunt, Lydia Martinez Delgado, told the New York Times her niece had been a teacher for 17 years and was shot and killed while trying to protect her pupils. Delgado said she was married with one child and took pride in her teaching.
“She was the fun of the party,” she said, adding in a statement reported by ABC: “I’m furious that these shootings continue. These children are innocent. Rifles should not be easily available to all.”
Several US media outlets named Irma Garcia as the second adult victim. According to her school profile, Garcia, who was Mireles’ co-teacher, had taught at the school for 23 years and was married with four children. NBC reported that her son had been told by a friend in law enforcement that she too had been shielding her pupils.
Other families posted pictures of smiling children on social media, begging for information. Classes at the school had been winding down for the year and the theme of the day had been “footloose and fancy”, with pupils asked to wear a fun outfit.
