BREAKING NEWS: Bidens land in Uvalde to grieve with families who lost loved ones in the Robb Elementary School shooting: President will attend mass and visit memorial to 19 slain kids and two teachers
Advertisement
<!–<!–<!–<!–<!–<!–<!–
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have landed in Texas late on Sunday morning for a somber visit to Uvalde after 19 children and two teachers were shot dead inside an elementary school classroom there last week.
They arrived at JASA-Kelly Airfield in San Antonio, Texas – about 85 miles from the small southwestern community that was rocked by tragedy on Tuesday.
Upon landing they were met by Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott, an ally of Donald Trump’s, and his wife Cecilia Abbott.
Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, whose district the shooting took place in, was there as well along with Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin.
It comes after his Vice President Kamala Harris called for a ban on assault weapons in the wake of back-to-back mass shootings at the funeral for a victim of the massacre in Buffalo earlier this month.
The commander-in-chief and his wife were both clad in black when they boarded the plane early on Sunday morning in an air field in Delaware, where the first couple regularly spend their weekends.
His visit comes as Uvalde is still reeling after an 18-year-old gunman walked into Robb Elementary School through an unlocked door last Tuesday, where he proceeded to barricade himself in a classroom for nearly an hour as police waited outside and frightened parents begged them to break in and confront the shooter.
The teen was later killed by a Border Patrol officer. Biden is expected to arrive in Uvalde at 11 a.m. local time.
He and Dr. Jill Biden will first visit the memorial site that was set up outside of the school to honor the victims.
They’ll then attend services at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, where late last week a special mass was held in honor of the 21 people killed.
President Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden are expected to meet with victims’ families on Sunday
They’re headed for an all-day visit to Uvalde, Texas to honor the 21 lives lost in the mass shooting there last week
They deplaned Air Force One late on Sunday morning local time in San Antonio, roughly 85 miles from Uvalde
They’re now taking Marine One to their first stop in the town at the makeshift memorial outside of Robb Elementary School
The president and first lady were clad in black when they arrived at Delaware Air National Guard Base early on Sunday morning
They’ll also meet with first responders from the small, southwest Texas community
Much of the event will be closed to press after they visit the Robb Elementary School memorial, seemingly to give those still reeling from the tragedy space
The president normally spends Sunday mornings attending mass at his local Wilmington, Delaware church, St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic.
After mass, the Bidens will meet with families of victims and survivors at the Uvalde County Event Center ‘to grieve and offer their condolences,’ according to the White House.
They’ll end the day-long visit by speaking with Uvalde first responders.
Much of the event after the first couple’s memorial visit will be closed to press, apparently in a bid to offer privacy to those directly involved and still grappling with the fallout of the tragedy.
Texas State Senator Roland Gutierrez said on Sunday that Biden’s outreach after the shooting was ‘more than we’ve seen from our governor’ Greg Abbott.
Asked about what Biden’s goals should be for the trip, Gutierrez told NBC News’ Meet the Press: ‘I want him to comfort the people that he’s going to visit with.’
‘He’s talked about a grant already to raze this school. We’re looking at things that are going to make people whole, but you and I know that we’re never going to be able to bring these children back. And so he’s doing what he needs to do. I appreciate all the effort. It’s more than we’ve seen from our governor,’ Gutierrez said.
Democrat-led calls for stricter gun control measures have gained new steam in the wake of Uvalde and the mass shooting just days before in Buffalo – where a white 18-year-old appeared to purposely target a supermarket with predominantly black patrons.
Biden’s vice president demanded a ban on the weapons used in both instances during remarks to reporters after attending the funeral of the Buffalo killer’s oldest victims, 86-year-old Ruth Whitfield.
‘Let’s have an assault weapons ban. An assault weapon is a weapon of war with no place, no place in civil society,’ Harris said.
Vice President Kamala Harris arrives at a memorial near the site of the Buffalo supermarket shooting after attending a memorial service for Ruth Whitfield, Saturday, May 28, 2022
Early last week, an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 kids and two teachers inside a classroom in Uvalde
And on Sunday, Connecticut Democrat Senator Chris Murphy gave new hope to gun control advocates when he told ABC’s This Week that a bipartisan proposal to help end surging gun violence could be on the table as early as next week.
‘We have continued to work throughout the weekend,’ Murphy said on television. ‘These are serious negotiations and we are going to continue to meet through early next week to try to find some common ground.’
‘Listen, I’ve been clear – I’m not going to let the perfect be the enemy of the good,’ Murphy said at another point. ‘Of course, I would love to ban assault weapons. I think that’s probably the most impactful way to stop these mass shootings.’
‘I would love universal background checks – that’s the best way to try to curb the level of violence that happens in my city of Hartford and other cities like it across the country.’
Murphy continued: ‘But, what we’re talking about is not insignificant. Inside this room we’re talking about red flag laws, we’re talking about strengthening and expanding the background check system, if not universal background checks. We’re talking about safe storage.’
‘And yes, we’re also talking about mental health resources and more security dollars for schools,’ he said.
He said the final piece of legislation ‘in the end, could have a significant downward pressure on gun violence in this country.’
The White House announced on Thursday that the Bidens would both be visiting Uvalde five days after the shooting.
A visibly emotional Biden grieved for ‘so many lost spirits’ in a short but powerful speech from the White House on Tuesday night.
He also tore into gun manufacturers and firearm lobbyists for the conditions including relatively relaxed gun laws that allowed the teen shooter to commit the heinous crime.
The president had been on a 17-hour flight back from his first trip to Asia as commander-in-chief when the shooting occurred.
Biden addressed the nation less than two hours after his return.
‘I had hoped, when I became president, I would not have to do this. Again. Another massacre,’ he said.
‘Uvalde, Texas. An elementary school. Beautiful innocent, second, third, fourth graders. And how many scores of little children who witnessed what happen – see their friends die as if they’re on a battlefield, for God’s sake?’
Biden delivered the remarks in the White House Roosevelt Room with a silent and solemn First Lady Dr. Jill Biden by his side
His voice growing louder later in the speech, Biden continued: ‘As a nation, we have to ask, when in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? When in God’s name will we do what we all know in our gut needs to be done?’
He recalled the numerous mass shootings over the last decade, including visiting Sandy Hook Elementary School, where a gunman killed 26 people including 20 children while he was vice president. He also remarked on the this month’s mass shooting that killed 10 people in Buffalo, New York.
‘I am sick and tired of it. We have to act. And don’t tell me we can’t have an impact on this carnage. I spent my career as a senator and vice president working to pass common sense gun laws,’ he said.
Biden pointed out that no other developed nation has the rate of gun violence the US experiences.
‘Why? They have mental health problems. They have domestic disputes in other countries. They have people who are lost. But these kinds of mass shootings never happen with the kind of frequency that they happen in America. Why?’ he pressed.
‘Why are we willing to live with this carnage? Why do we keep letting this happen? Where in God’s name is our backbone?’
On Thursday last week, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed to bring gun control legislation to the floor for a vote when Congress returns from Memorial Day recess next month.
A woman prays for the shooting victims of Robb Elementary School in front of a makeshift memorial outside the Uvalde County Courthouse in Texas, United States on May 28
A woman embraces her children as she takes part in a ceremony in memory of the victims
Republicans, meanwhile, appear divided in their approach.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told CNN that he directed Texas’ senior senator, Republican John Cornyn, to work with Democrats on a ‘bipartisan solution’ to gun violence.
But the shooting did not stop other high-profile members of the GOP from appearing at the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting in Houston, Texas on Friday – less than 300 miles from Uvalde.
Former President Donald Trump accused Biden of exploiting the tragedy by calling for common sense gun control, telling his supporters that ‘when Joe Biden blamed the gun lobby, he was talking about Americans like you.’
‘The existence of evil is one of the very best reasons to arm law-abiding citizens,’ he also said.
And Cornyn’s fellow Texas Senator Ted Cruz told the crowd: ‘Tragedies like the event of this week are a mirror forcing us to ask hard questions, demanding that we see where our culture is failing.’
‘We must not react to evil and tragedy by abandoning the Constitution or infringing on the rights of our law-abiding citizens,’ Cruz added.
The Lone Star State’s governor was slated to attend but withdrew from his in-person appearance at the last minute. Abbott delivered a video address instead.
PICTURED: The 19 children and two teachers butchered in Texas elementary school shooting
Amerie Jo Garza, 10
Amerie Jo Garza (right)
Amerie Jo Garza, a fourth grader at Robb Elementary, was one of 19 students confirmed to be killed Tuesday morning by Ramos, who cops say was carrying a handgun and an AR-15 during the attack that also killed two teachers in the classroom.
Her grandmother, Berlinda Irene Arreola, said the 10-year-old was killed as she tried to phone 911 while sitting next to her best friend, who ended up ‘covered in her blood.’
Arreola said Ramos told the students and staffers inside the room, ‘You’re going to die,’ before opening fire – shooting her granddaughter dead as she tried to phone for help.
‘So the gunman went in and he told the children, ‘You’re going to die,’ Berlinda told The Daily Beast.
‘And [Amerie] had her phone and she called 911. And instead of grabbing it and breaking it or taking it from her, he shot her. She was sitting right next to her best friend. Her best friend was covered in her blood.’
Uziyah Garcia
Uziyah Garcia, 8
Uziyah Garcia, the youngest victim at age eight, was also killed in the attack.
The child’s family announced he was killed hours after announcing he was among the many children unaccounted for following the tragedy.
The boy’s grandfather, Manny Renfro, broke the news early Wednesday after being notified by authorities.
‘[He was] the sweetest little boy that I’ve ever known,’ Renfro said. ‘I’m not just saying that because he was my grandkid.’
Renfro recalled how Uziyah last visited him in San Angelo over spring break.
‘We started throwing the football together and I was teaching him pass patterns.
‘Such a fast little boy and he could catch a ball so good,’ the grieving grandad said.
‘There were certain plays that I would call that he would remember and he would do it exactly like we practiced.’
Makenna Elrod, 10
Makenna Lee Elrod
Makenna Elrod, 10, had also been among the missing in the chaos that followed the massacre, with her father, Brandon Elrod telling reporters at the time he feared ‘she may not be alive.’
Her death was eventually confirmed by a family friend on Wednesday. ‘It’s pretty sad what this world’s coming to,’ the girl’s father told local outlet KTRK after the shooting.
A mother of one of Makenna’s friends lamented the loss in a post to Facebook.
‘Sweet Makenna Rest in Paradise!! My heart is shattered as my daughter Chloe loved her so much!!’ the mom wrote. A relative Wednesday confirmed that the girl had been among the victims.
Xavier Lopez, 10
Xavier Lopez
Xavier Lopez, 10, was the first student victim to be identified as one of Ramos’ victims.
The child’s mother, Felicha Martinez, told the Washington Post Tuesday that just hours before the massacre, the mom had been at the school to see her son participate an honor roll ceremony.
She took a picture showing her son showing off his certificate.
In the last exchange she had with the child, the mom heartbreakingly told the boy that she was proud of him and that she loved him, giving him a hug goodbye – not knowing it would be the last time she would see him alive.
‘He was funny, never serious and his smile… that smile I will never forget,’ she recalled after learning of his death from police. ‘It would always cheer anyone up.’
The boy’s cousin, Lisa Garza, 54, of Arlington, said Xavier enjoyed swimming and had been looking forward to the summer.
‘He was just a loving 10-year-old little boy, just enjoying life, not knowing that this tragedy was going to happen today,’ she said.
‘He was very bubbly, loved to dance with his brothers, his mom. This has just taken a toll on all of us.’
Amelia Sandoval, Lopez’s grandmother, said: ‘It’s just so hard… you send your kids to school thinking they are going to make it back home but they’re not.’
Eliahana Torres, 10
Eliahana Cruz Torres
Eliahana Cruz Torres, 10, had also been missing for hours until she was confirmed to be among the dead.
Adolfo Cruz, her great-grandfather, said she didn’t want to attend school the day of the shooting – but was told by her family that she had to attend.
He said he remained outside the school gates throughout the night until he leanrned of her fate from local authorities.
‘I hope she is alive,’ he said at the time.
Torres was an avid baseball player and played the sport in a local little league.
Ellie Lugo, 10
Ellie Lugo
Ellie Lugo was named as a victim of Tuesday’s attack by her parents, with Steven Garcia and Jennifer Lugo confirming her death several hours after she was listed among the missing.
‘It’s hard to issue out a statement on anything right now my mind is going at 1000 miles per hour… but I do wanna send our thoughts and prayers to those who also didn’t make it home tonight!!! Our Ellie was a doll and was the happiest ever,’ Steven Lugo said Wednesday.
‘Mom and Dad love you never forget that and please try and stay by our side.’
Nevaeh Bravo, 10
Nevaeh Bravo
Nevaeh Bravo was confirmed to be among the dead late Tuesday, after her cousin posted on social media following the shooting to ask for helping the girl.
Around 9 pm, she broke the news on Twitter.
‘Unfortunately my beautiful Nevaeh was one of the many victims from todays tragedy,’ she wrote.
Sje said the schoolchild was ‘flying high’ and asked for the family to be kept in people’s prayers
‘Our Nevaeh has been found. She is flying with the angels above. We love you Navaeh very much princess.’
‘Thank you for the support and help,’ she wrote. ‘Rest in peace my sweet girl, you didn’t deserve this.’
Bravo’s age could not immediately be confirmed.
Tess Marie Mata
Tess Marie Mata
Tess Marie Mata was also among those to perish in the attack, her sister, Faith Mata, revealed in a post to Facebook Wednesday.
‘I honestly have no words just sadness, confusion, and anger,’ she wrote.
‘I’m sad because we will never get to tag team on mom and dad again and tell each other how much we mean to each other, I’m confused because how can something like this happen to my sweet, caring, and beautiful sister, and I’m angry because a coward took you from us.’
Photos shared with the post showed Tess smiling in a baby photo, snuggling with a cat, doing gymnastics, flashing a peace sign, and posing in front of a large heart mural.
‘Sissy I miss you so much, I just want to hold you and tell you how pretty you are, I want to take you outside and practice softball, I want to go on one last family vacation, I want to hear your contagious laugh, and I want you to hear me tell you how much I love you,’ she wrote.
Her age could not immediately be confirmed.
Rojelio Torres, 10
Rojelio Torres
Rojelio Torres, 10, was initially reported missing by his father, but on Wednesday was confirmed dead by his family.
A person who said she was the boy’s cousin wrote on Twitter: ‘It breaks my heart to say my rojelio is now with the angels I’ll forever miss you and love you my angel.’
The child’s father , Federico Torres, told Houston reporters that he was at work when he learned about the shooting and immediately raced to the school.
‘They sent us to the hospital, to the civic center, to the hospital and here again, nothing, not even in San Antonio,’ he said. ‘They don’t tell us anything, only a photo, wait, hope that everything is well.’
Nearly half a day later, cops broke the news to the boy’s family.
‘Our entire family waited almost 12 hours since the shooting to find out Rojelio Torres, my 10-year-old nephew, was killed in this tragedy,’ Torres’ aunt, Precious Perez, told KSAT. ‘We are devastated and heartbroken. Rojer was a very intelligent, hard-working and helpful person. He will be missed and never forgotten.’
Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10
Jayce Luevanos
Jayce Luevanos, 10, died in the shooting along with his ten-year-old cousin, Jailah, the child’s mother said Wednesday.
In a Facebook post, uncle Unberto Gonzalez shared photos of both kids while offering a touching tribute.
‘My babies going to miss them like crazy!!!,’ Gonzalez wrote. ‘We luv y’all so much!!! I’m just lost right now!!! Fly high my beautiful Angels!!’
Jailah Nicole Silguero, 10
Jailah Nicole Silguero
Ten-year-old Jailah Nicole Silguero was also killed in the shooting, her mother, Veronica Luevanos, tearfully revealed to Univision Wednesday.
She also lost her 10-year-old nephew Jayce to the tragedy.
She said Jailah loved to dance and film videos on TikTok.
The child reportedly also asked her mom the morning of the shooting if she could stay home from school – a request the now mourning mom rebuffed.
‘I took her to school, but she didn’t want to go. She told her father, ‘Can I stay home?” Luevanos said, noting that it was not a common occurrence for her daughter to make such a request. ‘I think she knew something would happen.’
Luevanos’ mom confirmed the loss on Facebook Wednesday.
‘Fly high my angels. We’re going to miss yall so much,’ wrote Veronica Luevanos – whose dad had died just a week earlier.
‘I’m so heart broken,’ she wrote with a photo of her daughter and nephew.
‘My baby I love u so much … fly high baby girl.’
Alithia Ramirez, 10
Alithia Ramirez
Fourth grader Alithia Ramirez was confirmed dead early Wednesday by her father, Ryan Ramirez, who shared a post to Facebook showing the 10-year-old with angel’s wings. He had used the same photo the previous day as he pleaded for help finding her after the massacre
He had heartbreakingly used the same photo the previous day as he desperately pleaded for help finding her after the massacre.
‘Trying to find my daughter Alithia. I called all the hospitals and nothing,’ he wrote at the time.
He also reporters during his frantic search, ‘I’m trying to find out where my baby’s at.’
Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10
Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez
Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10, was another killed by Ramos Tuesday – along with her cousin, who has yet to be identified.
Annabell’s father spent the afternoon after the shooting in frantic search for his daughter.
Speaking to KHOU11 Tuesday, he lamented at how he was at a loss as to what do, having little success with the search.
‘They’re not letting us in at the hospital right now so we don’t know where to go.’
She has since been declared to be among the dead.
Miranda Mathis, 11
Miranda Mathis
Miranda Mathis, 11, was also confirmed as another casualty from the mass shooting early Wednesday, in a Facebook post by an older cousin who earlier that day had posted a desperate plea for help in locating the child.
‘My sweet baby cousin we loved u dearly,’ Deanna Miller wrote alongside a photo of the child with angel wings.
‘I’m so sorry this happen to u baby please keep my family in your prayers,’ she grieved.
Miller’s kids had also been at the school at the time of the shooting, but survived the attack.
One of her sons told her that they were ushered out of a window by staffers during the attack and subsequently ran to a nearby funeral home after ‘he heard the shooter say he was gonna kill all the kids.’
Alexandria ‘Lexi’ Aniyah Rubio, 10
Alexandria Aniyah Rubio
Alexandria Aniyah Rubio – who was better known to friends as ‘Lexi’ – was confirmed dead just before midnight on Tuesday.
The ten-year-old was shot dead just hours after posing for a photo with her parents at the school’s honor roll ceremony.
Kimberly Mata-Rubio, the girl’s mother, wrote of the loss: ‘My beautiful, smart, Alexandria Aniyah Rubio was recognized today for All-A honor roll. She also received the good citizen award. We told her we loved her and would pick her up after school. We had no idea this was goodbye.’
Maite Yuleana
Maite Yuleana
Maite Yuleana was another student to die in the attack that had attended the honor roll ceremony just hours before.
A cousin of the girl’s mother, Ana Rodriguez, announced the loss Wednesday.
‘It is with a heavy heart I come on here on behalf of my cousin Ana who lost her sweet baby girl in yesterday’s senseless shooting.
‘We are deeply saddened by the lose [sic] of this sweet smart little girl…. God bless and may she R.I.P Maite Rodriguez we love you.’
Another relative shared a photo of Maite with her honor roll certificate.
Her age could not immediately be confirmed.
Jose Flores Jr, 10
Jose Flores
Jose Flores, 10, was also killed in the shooting after attending the honor roll ceremony, where he was pictured triumphantly clutching a certificate celebrating the accomplishment.
Uncle Christopher Salazar confirmed to the Washington Post Wednesday that his 10-year-old nephew was among the dead, after sharing a tribute to the child on Facebook.
‘I love you and I miss you,’ Salazar wrote in the post.
The boy’s father described Jose to CNN as an amazing boy and big brother to his two younger siblings.
‘He was always fill of energy,’ Jose Flores Sr. said. ‘Ready to play till the night.’
He said the boy loved playing baseball and video games.
Jackie Cazares
Jackie Cazares, 10
Jackie Cazares, 10, was another to be killed during the vicious attack at the elementary school.
Her father Jacinto confirmed she lost her life inside her fourth-grade classroom.
‘My baby girl has been taken away from my family and I,’ the grieving father said in an online post.
‘We’re devastated in ways I hope no one ever goes through. … It hurts us to our souls.’
Cazares said his daughter, who was with her cousin, Annabell Rodriguez, when she died, was ‘full of life and love’.
Layla Salazar, 10
The 10-year-old student was the last of the slaying victims to be identified.
Vincent Salazar told the Philadelphia Inquirer his young daughter was among those killed.
He said she was ‘a lot of fun’ and recalled how they sang along to ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ by Guns ‘n’ Roses whenever he drove her to school.
Layla Salazar
Irma Garcia, 46 – fourth grade teacher
Irma Garcia
Irma Garcia, who co-taught with Mireles for the last five year, had been at Robb Elementary for 23 years.
Married to Joe for 24 years, she was a mother of four – Cristian, completing Marine boot camp; Jose, attending Texas State university University; Lyliana, a sophomore in high school; and Alysandra, a 7th grader.
‘My tia did not make it, she sacrificed herself protecting the kids in her classroom, i beg of you to keep my family including all of her family in y’all’s prayers , IRMA GARCIA IS HER NAME and she died a HERO,’ tweeted her nephew John.
‘She was loved by many and will truly be missed.’
She was nominated as teacher of the year for the 2018-19 awards, organized by Trinity University.
Eva Mireles, 44 – fourth grade teacher
Eva Mireles
Eva Mireles, a fourth grade teacher, was identified by her family as being one of the staff members shot dead. She had worked in education for 17 years.
Her husband Ruben Ruiz, a veteran detective and SWAT team member currently serving as a police officer with the school district, held regular active shooter drills for the schools – most recently at the end of March.
Advertisement