Photos and memories of the children and educators who were victims of the massacre in Texas 3:33
(CNN) ––
An elementary school has been turned into a graveyard by gun violence.
This Tuesday, an 18-year-old attacker perpetrated a massacre at the Robb School in Uvalde, Texas, claiming the lives of dozens of victims.
At least 19 children and two adults were killed in the deadliest school shooting since the Sandy Hook tragedy.
For 21 families, the table will never be full again.
Breaking: Dozens Killed in Texas Elementary School Shooting
Tuesday's massacre took place just days before the end of the school year at Robb Elementary School.
What should have been a moment of celebration soon turned into one of pain and agony.
For hours, families waited to find out if their loved ones survived the attack on the school.
"We see people coming out terrified. They're all crying. They're being told their son is dead," state Sen. Roland Gutiérrez told CNN Tuesday night from a civic center converted to a reunification site.
Relatives were left with the grim task of providing DNA samples to help investigators identify the victims.
What we know about America's deadliest elementary school shooting since Sandy Hook
Little by little, the names and stories of the victims of this shooting begin to be known.
This is what we know.
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Irma Garcia, teacher
Irma Garcia in a picture on her profile on the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District website.
Irma Garcia, a teacher at Robb Elementary School, was identified as a victim in Tuesday's shooting, CNN confirmed through a GoFundMe page set up to raise funds for funeral expenses and family needs.
Garcia was the mother of four children, according to the GoFundMe campaign.
"Sweet, kind, loving. Funny with the best personality. A wonderful fourth grade teacher at Robb Elementary School who was the victim of a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. She sacrificed herself protecting the children in her classroom. She was a hero. She was loved by many and will be truly missed," the campaign said.
Garcia's nephew, John Martinez, told
The Washington Post
that officials told the family that she helped protect the students from the gunfire.
"I want her to be remembered as someone who sacrificed her life and risked her life for her children," Martinez told the newspaper on Wednesday.
"It wasn't just her students. Those were her children, and she risked her life, she lost her life to protect them. That's the kind of person she was," she added.
According to Garcia's profile on the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District website, she was an educator for 23 years.
She was her fifth year teaching with Eva Mireles, who was also shot dead at the elementary school.
Amerie Jo Garza, age 10
Amerie Jo Garza in the arms of her father Angel Garza (Credit: Angel Garza)
For seven hours, Ángel Garza struggled to find his 10-year-old daughter, Amerie Jo.
He even, he asked for the help of the public on Facebook.
"I don't ask for much and I hardly post here, but please: seven hours have passed and I still don't know anything about my love," Garza wrote.
"Please help me find my daughter."
On Wednesday morning, Garza made a heartbreaking update.
"Thank you all for the prayers and help trying to find my baby. They found her. My sweetheart is now flying high with the angels above," Garza posted.
"Please don't take a second for granted. Hug your family. Tell them you love them. I love you, Amerie Jo. Take care of your little brother for me," she added.
Garza told CNN's Anderson Cooper on Wednesday that her daughter turned 10 two weeks ago.
The family gave her a phone, which she had been asking for, Garza recalled.
The father learned that Amerie Jo tried to use her phone to call authorities during the shooting, two students told him.
He also explained that he works in health care and responded to the scene of the shooting, where he saw a girl covered in blood who told him that someone had shot her best friend.
When Garza asked who her best friend was, the girl said the name of her daughter.
"I just want people to know that she died trying to save her classmates. She just wanted to save all of them," Garza added.
The family has been trying to deal with Amerie's death.
Garza said her 3-year-old son has been asking about her sister every morning when she wakes up.
"We told him that his sister is already with God and will no longer be with us," she said through tears.
"She was the sweetest girl who didn't do anything wrong," Garza said, breaking down.
"I just want to know what she did to be a victim."
"What are we doing?": reactions to the massacre in Uvalde, Texas, in which 21 people died
Jose Flores Jr., age 10
Jose Flores Jr. (Credit: Jose Flores Sr.)
The father of 10-year-old Jose Flores Jr. told CNN his son was identified as one of the victims killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting.
José Flores Sr. noted that his son was in fourth grade and that he loved baseball and video games.
"He was always full of energy," Flores recalled.
"Ready to play until night."
Flores also described her son as an amazing kid and older brother to her two brothers.
Xavier Lopez, 10 years old
Xavier Lopez.
(Credit: Family via The Washington Post)
Xavier López, 10, was identified as one of the victims of the shooting, his mother, Felicha Martínez, confirmed to
The Washington Post
.
He was a fourth grade student.
"He was funny, he was never serious and his smile..." Martinez said, her voice cracking.
"That smile that I will never forget. It always made anyone happy."
Just days away from completing his final year of elementary school, Xavier was counting down the time until he officially moved up the academic ladder at Flores Middle School in Uvalde.
"I really couldn't wait to go to high school," his mother said.
At least 19 children and two adults killed in a shooting at a Texas elementary school
It seemed that his dreams were very close to being fulfilled this Tuesday when it was the Robb Elementary School honor roll ceremony.
The mother was there to support him when Xavier was called to receive his certificate.
A few hours before the tragedy, Martínez took a photo of Xavier.
She told him that she was proud and that she loved him, before hugging her goodbye.
She did not imagine that this would be the last moment that she would share with her “mother's son”.
Uziyah Garcia, 10 years old
Uziyah Garcia was 10 years old.
The family of 10-year-old Uziyah Garcia told CNN their son was among the victims killed during the Robb School massacre.
Uziyah, who was in fourth grade, was "full of life," according to an uncle, Mitch Renfro.
He loved video games and anything with wheels.
He leaves two sisters.
"The sweetest boy I've ever met," Garcia's grandfather, Manny Renfro, told CNN affiliate KSAT.
"I'm not saying that just because he was my grandson."
Uziyah last visited his grandfather in San Angelo during his spring break.
Renfro remembers playing football with him and how quickly his grandson took to the sport.
"We started throwing the ball together, and I was teaching him passing patterns. He was such a fast kid and he could catch a ball really well," Renfro said.
"There were certain plays that I would mention and he would remember, so he would do them exactly how we practiced them."
Lexi Rubio, 10 years old
Lexi Rubio.
(Credit: Felix and Kimberly Rubio)
Felix and Kimberly Rubio just celebrated their daughter Lexi's accomplishments at school Tuesday, shortly before the shooting that took her life.
Lexi, 10, a fourth grader, made the honor roll and received a good citizenship award, her parents told CNN.
"We told her we loved her and would pick her up after school. We had no idea this was goodbye," Kimberly Rubio wrote in a Facebook post.
The parents told CNN they were proud of their daughter, who loved playing softball and basketball.
"He was kind, sweet and loved life. He was going to be a star in softball and had a bright future, whether it was sports or academics. Please let the world know that we miss our baby," they said.
Felix Rubio, a deputy with the Uvalde County Sheriff's Office, told CNN's Jason Carroll that he was one of multiple authorities who responded to the scene of the shooting.
The grieving father said he wants gun violence to be confronted.
"All I can hope for is that she's not just another figure," she said through tears.
"This is enough. No one else needs to go through this. We never need to go through this, but we do."
Eva Mireles, teacher
Eva Mireles was a teacher at Robb Elementary School.
Eva Mireles, a fourth-grade teacher, was also killed in the shooting, family members told CNN.
Mireles was an educator for 17 years.
Erica Torres recalled how lovingly Mireles treated her son Stanley, who has autism, while she was in his third and fourth grade classes.
In an effort to keep her from wandering around the school, Mireles put Stanley in charge of herding the students to get to class.
"She made you feel like she was just teaching your son," Torres said.
"As if there were no other students but him. She made you feel so good," she added.
Mireles' daughter, Adalynn, tweeted a tribute to her mother on Wednesday, a family member confirmed to CNN.
The tweet also included a photo of Adalynn and her mother.
"Mom, you are a hero. I keep telling myself this isn't real. I just want to hear your voice," the message read.
"I want to thank you mom for being such an inspiration to me. I will always be so proud to be your daughter. My sweet mommy, I will see you again."
My sweet mommy, I will miss you forever.
🤍🕊 pic.twitter.com/SIxKrgX6Xi
— Adalynn ✞💛 (@addy_celeste) May 25, 2022
In his free time, he enjoyed running, hiking, biking and spending time with his family, according to the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District website.
“He was a vivacious soul.
She spread laughter and joy wherever she went, ”Amber Ybarra, one of her relatives, told CNN.
"She was a loving and caring mother, relative, teacher to her students, and it is absolutely tragic what is happening."
Tess Marie Mata, age 10
Tess Marie Mata was saving for a family trip to Disney World.
Tess Marie Mata, 10, had saved money for a trip to Disney World with her family before she was killed at Robb Elementary School, her sister, Faith Mata, told
The Washington Post.
Tess was in the fourth grade and loved TikTok dances, Ariana Grande and the Houston Astros, Faith Mata told the newspaper.
"My precious angel, we love you so deeply. In my eyes, you are not a victim but a survivor. I love you always and forever, little sister, may your wings rise higher than you could ever dream of," Faith Mata wrote on Twitter.
Nevaeh Alyssa Bravo, age 10
Nevaeh Alyssa Bravo, 10, always made people smile, according to her cousin.
Nevaeh Alyssa Bravo, who was 10 years old, was killed in the school shooting, her cousin told
The Washington Post
.
Austin Ayala told the newspaper that the family is devastated after losing Nevaeh, whom he noted always made people smile.
Funeral services are pending, according to an online obituary from Hillcrest Memorial Funeral Home.
Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10 years old
Family members identified 10-year-old Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez as one of the victims, according to CNN affiliate KHOU-TV.
She was a third grade student at the school.
Her family told KHOU that she was in the same classroom as her cousin, who was also killed in the shooting.
The name of that victim has yet to be revealed.
Eliana "Ellie" Garcia, age 9
Family members identified 9-year-old Eliana "Ellie" Garcia as one of the victims, according to CNN affiliate KHOU.
Garcia's grandparents, Rogelio Lugo and Nelda Lugo, told the Los Angeles Times that she was in fourth grade at the school and was the second of five girls in the family.
She loved the movie "Charm," cheerleading and basketball, according to her grandparents.
She adds that she dreamed of being a teacher.
Elijah 'Elijah' Cruz Torres, 10 years old
Eliahana "Elijah" Cruz Torres, 10, was also killed in the shooting, her aunt Leandra Vera told CNN.
"Our baby gained her wings," said Vera.
Identify all the victims
All the victims of the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde have been identified.
Their bodies have been removed from the scene and families have been notified, Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Chris Olivarez told CNN.
The official added that all the injuries and deaths occurred in a classroom.
“19 children died, as did two adults, two of whom were teachers.
It's a total of 21 victims," he told CNN.
"We know at this time that all of the victims have been removed from the school. All families have been notified."
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An 18-year-old man opened fire Tuesday at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, killing at least 19 students and two adults, authorities said.
In the image, Kladys Castellón prays during a vigil that took place in Uvalde on Tuesday night.
Billy Calzada/AP |
WATCH THE GALLERY ➡️
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People pray Tuesday night at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Uvalde.
William Luther/AP
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People take comfort outside the Civic Center in Uvalde.
Dario Lopez-Mills/AP
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Police personnel run near the scene of the shooting.
US Customs and Border Protection, which is the largest law enforcement agency in the area, helped with the response to the incident.
Marco Bello/Reuters
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A Texas State Trooper walks outside Robb Elementary School, where the shooting occurred.
Eric Thayer/Bloomberg/Getty Images
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A woman reacts outside the Uvalde Civic Center.
Marco Bello/Reuters
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A minor boards a school bus Tuesday under police surveillance.
Robb High School had 535 students in the 2020-21 school year, according to state data.
About 90% of the students are Hispanic and about 81% are economically disadvantaged, the data shows.
Thursday was going to be the last day of school before summer break.
Marco Bello/Reuters
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People react outside the Civic Center.
With this, they add at least 30 shootings in primary and secondary schools in 2022. Marco Bello/Reuters
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Police officers and other first responders gather outside the school after Tuesday's shooting.
Dario Lopez-Mills/AP
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A woman cries and hugs a minor while she talks on the phone outside the Uvalde Civic Center.
Allison Dinner/AFP/Getty Images
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A woman cries as she leaves the Civic Center.
William Luther/San Antonio Express-News/Zuma
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Law enforcement officers stand outside the school after the shooting.
The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have been assisting local law enforcement with the investigation.
Dario Lopez-Mills/AP
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People sit on the sidewalk outside the school as state police patrol the area.
Allison Dinner/AFP/Getty Images
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Police walk near the school after the shooting.
Dario Lopez-Mills/AP
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A woman and a minor leave the Uvalde Civic Center on Tuesday.
William Luther/San Antonio Express-News/Zuma
When Olivarez was asked if all the injuries and deaths occurred in a classroom, he said, "That's correct."
"It was a classroom setting. He was able to walk into that classroom, lock the door and just start shooting the kids and the two teachers that were inside that classroom."
The school district said it will cancel the rest of the school year.
This Thursday was scheduled to be the last day of school before summer break.
Uvalde County, located about 85 miles west of San Antonio, had a population of about 25,000 people as of 2020, according to the school census.
CNN's David Williams, Jose Lesh, Amanda Jackson, Chris Boyette, Sara Smart, Jeffrey Winter and Caroll Alvarado all contributed to this report.
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