The world’s eyes are on the Texas city of Uvalde following an elementary school shooting that has left 21 people dead and several more injured.
On Tuesday morning, a gunman entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde after shooting his grandmother and crashing a car near the school, authorities said. According to an official from the Texas Department of Safety, the shooter walked into the building and fired at “children, teachers, whoever was in his way.”
He killed 19 children and two teachers.
Here are the victims and their stories:
44-Year-Old Eva Mireles
Eva Mireles, a fourth grade teacher at the elementary school, was killed in the shooting, her aunt, Lydia Martinez Delgado, confirmed to ABC News. She had been a teacher in the school district for approximately 17 years, Delgado said.
“I’m furious that these shooting continue. These children are innocent. Rifles should not be easily available to all,” Delgado said. “This is my hometown, a small community of less than 20,000. I never imagined this would happen to especially to loved ones.”
“All we can do is pray hard for our country, state, schools and especially the families of all,” she said.
Amber Ybarra, the cousin of Mireles’ husband, called the teacher a “hero” and an “amazing mom.”
Irma Garcia
Irma Garcia was a fourth-grade teacher at Robb Elementary who died in the shooting, her family confirmed to ABC News.
According to the district’s website, Garcia had been teaching for 23 years, all spent at the school. She also was a co-teacher with Eva Mireles, the other teacher who was killed, in the same classroom for five years.
Her family said she and her husband, Joe, were about to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. The two had known each other since eighth grade and have four children together.
10-Year-Old Eliahana “Elijah Cruz” Torres
Eliahana Cruz Torres died in the Tuesday shooting, her grandfather Adolfo Cruz confirmed to local news. Her death was confirmed to the family late Tuesday night.
9-Year-Old Ellie Garcia
Fourth-grader, 9-year-old Eliana “Ellie” Garcia, was the second-eldest of five girls in her family, a helper around the house who loved “Encanto,” cheerleading and basketball, her grandparents said. She dreamed of wearing a purple dress to her quinceañera, they said, and becoming a teacher.
Grandfather Rogelio Lugo spent Tuesday driving between hospitals, then waiting at the civic center for the grim news. He watched as officials swabbed his daughter’s and son-in-law’s mouths for DNA to identify his granddaughter.
10-Year-Old Layla Salazar
Layla Salazar’s father told the Associated Press that the 10-year-old had won six races at the school’s field day.
“She was just a whole lot of fun,” Vincent Salazar said, adding that his daughter liked dancing to TikTok videos and singing along with him to the Guns N’ Roses song “Sweet Child O’ Mine” every morning on the way to school.
10-Year-Old Xavier Lopez
Felicha Martinez told the Washington Post that her 10-year-old son, Xavier Lopez, was killed.
“He was funny, never serious and his smile,” she said. “That smile I will never forget. It would always cheer anyone up.”
She watched him receive an honor roll certificate just hours before he was killed.
3. Jose Flores
Christopher Salazar confirmed to the Washington Post that his 10-year-old nephew, Jose Flores, was killed in the shooting.
“I love you and I miss you,” Salazar wrote in a post on Facebook alongside photos of the boy.
In one photo, Jose can be seen grinning after catching a fish. In another, he is proudly displaying his honor roll certificate under a “Robb ’22″ banner.
10-Year-Old Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez
The family of Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez was among many who waited for answers after the shooting. Around 7 p.m. Tuesday, her sister, Lidia Anthony Luna, wrote on Facebook that Annabell was among those killed.
“My little sister didn’t make it she’s no longer with us my poor sweet little girl,” Luna wrote. “Why god why these sweet babies who didn’t deserve this who were all happy for summer vacation.”
Family members told Houston, Texas TV station KHOU that she was 10 years old.
10-Year-Old Jackie Cazares
Fourth-grader Jackie Cazares was among those killed along with her cousin Annabell Rodriguez, according to San Antonio TV station KSAT.
10-Year-Old Jailah Nicole Silguero
Jailah Nicole Silguero was killed in the shooting, her mother, Veronica Luevanos, told Univision through tears.
“I took her to school, but she didn’t want to go. She told her father, ‘Can I stay home?’” Luevanos said, adding that Jailah didn’t often ask to stay home. “I think she knew something would happen.”
Jailah’s cousin, 10-year-old Jayce Luevanos, was also killed in the shooting, according to Luevanos. She said her brother, Jayce‘s father, was taking his death hard.
10-Year-Old Jayce Leuvanos
Jayce Luevanos died in the shooting along with his cousin, Jailah Nicole Silguero, according to Jailah’s mother.
In a Facebook post, their uncle Unberto Gonzalez shared photos of both children.
“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!!”
10-Year-Old Tess Marie Mata
Tess Marie Mata was among the students killed, according to a Twitter post by her sister, Faith Mata.
10-Year-Old Makenna Elrod
On Tuesday, Brandon Elrod told ABC News that he was still searching for his 10-year-old daughter, Makenna.
“Pretty sad,” he said, choking back tears. “Really sad. I don’t know what this world is coming to.”
Later, a family friend said on Facebook that Makenna had been killed.
“My heart is shattered as my daughter Chloe loved her so much!!” Pilar Newberry wrote, adding: “Just a few weeks ago she got a friendship bracelet from her at the ballpark and she wears it everyday!”
11-Year-Old Miranda Mathis
Miranda Mathis’ family was searching for her after the shooting, according to her cousin, Deanna Miller.
“Please lord hear our prayers and please let these babies just be misplaced and harm free,” Miller wrote in a post on Facebook on Tuesday afternoon.
On Wednesday morning, Miller shared a photo of Miranda with angel wings and a halo.
“My sweet baby cousin we loved u dearly,” she wrote.
10-Year-Old Nevaeh Bravo
Nevaeh Bravo’s cousin posted on social media after the shooting to ask for the public’s help locating the girl. Around 9 p.m., she wrote on Twitter: “Unfortunately my beautiful Nevaeh was one of the many victims from todays tragedy.”
“Thank you for the support and help,” she wrote. “Rest in peace my sweet girl, you didn’t deserve this.”
10-Year-Old Alithia Ramirez
After the shooting, Ryan Ramirez said on Facebook that he was searching for his daughter, fourth-grader Alithia Ramirez.
On Wednesday morning, he posted a photo on Facebook of Alithia with angel wings.
Ramirez told San Antonio TV station KSAT that Alithia loved to draw and wanted to be an artist. She recently submitted a drawing to the “Doodle for Google” contest, he said.
10-Year-Old Maite Rodriguez
“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,” Raquel Silva wrote on Facebook about one of the victims, Maite Rodriguez. “Our hearts are shattered.”
Another family member shared a photo of Maite with her honor roll certificate in front of a school banner.
10-Year-Old Rojelio Torres
“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.”
8-Year-Old Uziyah Garcia
“I’m grieving heavily,” said Manny Renfro, whose 8-year-old grandson, Uziyah Garcia, was among the Robb Elementary students killed.
Renfro told The Times that Uziyah and his two sisters had lived with him and his grandmother for more than five years and he “never had an ounce of trouble” out of him.
“He was the type of kid that … could get interested in anything in five minutes. Just the perfect kid, as far as I’m concerned,” Renfro said, adding that Uziyah liked football, baseball and video games.
“We had a tight relationship, me and my grandson, and I don’t have him anymore,” he said, his voice breaking with emotion. “I lost my grandson at the hands of a very evil person.”
10-Year-Old Amerie Garza
Hours before the shooting Tuesday morning, Amerie Jo Garza, 10, had posed at school for a photo, smiling as she held a bright certificate celebrating her making the “A-B” honor roll.
“Thank you everyone for the prayers and help trying to find my baby,” her father, Angel Garza, wrote on Facebook shortly after midnight. “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.”
Tell us your thoughts...