2 Years Later: Uvalde community remembers Robb Elementary victims
UVALDE, Texas - It’s been two years since 19 children and two teachers were killed in a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
Family, friends, and members of the Uvalde community spent Friday remembering those victims at several events.
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church & School and the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas rang bells and released butterflies at 11:30 a.m.
Several people took part in a meditation tribute to the victims.
The group Lives Robbed, which was formed by the families of the 19 students murdered that day in 2022, will also host a candlelight vigil at 7:30 p.m. Friday evening.
"What I can say is love those next to you and hug your babies because you never know when the last time will be," said Brett Cross.
The deputy director of the White House’s Office of Gun Prevention will be there. He’s set to share a letter written by President Joe Biden for the victims’ families.
In it, the president said he’s praying for comfort for them as they reflect on the memories of their children.
There have not been any city-sanctioned events in Uvalde this week, and the Uvalde city government is not involved in Friday night’s event.
The families of the victims continue to fight to hold responsible those they say played a role in the massacre.
"I call them cowards," said one family member.
This week, the victims’ families filed a lawsuit against dozens of Texas Department of Public Safety officers who responded to the shooting.
Uvalde school shooting: Families announce $2M settlement with city, suit against state police
The families of 19 victims of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde announced a $2 million settlement with the city on Wednesday and a lawsuit against dozens of state police officers.
Law enforcement waited more than an hour to confront and kill the shooter. The lawsuit claims those troopers did not follow their training.
A Justice Department report also states lives could have been saved if the response had not been delayed.
"It’s been an unbearable two years. We all know who took our children’s lives. But there was an obvious systemic failure out there on May 24. The whole world saw that," said Javier Cazares, whose daughter was killed in the school shooting.
"now we will never know what could’ve, should’ve, would’ve been," said a family member.
Meanwhile, families have already reached a $2 million settlement with the City of Uvalde.
A criminal investigation into the police response is still ongoing and some law enforcement officials have been called to testify in front of a grand jury in Uvalde County.
"Today let us rejoice in the triumph of light over darkness, love over fear and hope over despair," said April Elrod.
Texas has put some safety measures in place since the shooting, including laws requiring every school district to have one armed guard on each campus.
The families speaking at Friday's vigil will forever be connected by a pain few are forced to endure.
Now, two years after the deadliest school shooting in the state's history. They're still speaking out so people do not forget their pain could happen to anyone.
"The pain that we feel is indescribable. There is just no words," said Cross.
Some families also filed lawsuits against gun makers and sellers, as well as social media and video game companies, claiming they are responsible for "aiding these gun makers to prey on children."