UVALDE, Texas – At least 19 children and two adults were shot and killed in a mass shooting Tuesday at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, officials said.
According to police, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos reportedly walked into the grade school and opened fire in a single classroom, striking anyone in his path.
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As of Wednesday, officials had identified two students and one of the adults who were slain during the mass shooting.
Here is what we know about the victims:
Tess Mata
Tess Mata, a 10-year-old fourth grader, was killed in the shooting at Robb Elementary School, her older sister, Faith Mata, told The Washington Post.
Tess loved TikTok dance videos, Ariana Grande, the Houston Astros and getting her hair curled, Faith Mata told the newspaper.
“Sissy I miss you so much,” the older sister wrote on Facebook, according to Reuters.
“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.”
Layla Salaza
Layla, 10, was killed in the shooting, her father Vincent Salazar confirmed, according to the AP.
An aunt of the shooter called Layla her cousin, but told NBC News the child and gunman were not related.
He said she loved to swim and dance to Tik Tok videos. And she could run. She won six races at the recent field day.
“She was just a whole lot of fun,” he said.
Salazar wrote on Facebook that he and his daughter would “jam” to “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” by Guns N’ Roses on the way to school. The song, he said, was the only thing bringing him comfort.
Eliahna “Ellie” Garcia
Eliahna “Ellie” Garcia, 9, was also confirmed to be another victim, her parents told NBC News.
“I won’t see my daughter again,” Ellie’s father said on the “TODAY” Show.
“Sweetest sweetest girl you ever, ever had the chance to meet,” he said. “And I had the honor of calling her my daughter.”
“She loved to dance, she loved to have fun,” he said. “She loved ramen noodles and she just loved life in general.”
Ellie’s family said she was looking forward to her 10th birthday party, and reading a scripture in church on Sunday.
The scripture was Deuteronomy 6:18: “Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you ...”
Makenna Lee Elrod
On an official GoFundMe created to help the victims’ families through this tragic time, the aunt of Makenna Lee Elrod confirmed that she was one of the children who was shot and killed in a classroom in Uvalde Tuesday.
According to the aunt, Makenna was “beautiful, funny, smart, and amazing.”
A Twitter post, created by Kadence Elizabeth, states that Makenna was her “sweet, innocent, baby sister.”
Nevaeh Bravo, 10
The Hillcrest Memorial Funeral Home confirmed 10-year-old Nevaeh Alyssa Bravo was killed during the senseless tragedy in Uvalde. According to the family’s GoFundMe page, Nevaeh is originally from Uvalde.
Xavier López, 10
According to a verified GoFundMe account created to help victims’ families, Xavier López, 10 was among the students shot and killed at Robb Elementary School.
Xavier’s family said his mother was with him for his award ceremony before the shooting.
“He was just a loving ... little boy, just enjoying life, not knowing that this tragedy was going to happen,” a cousin, Lisa Garza, 54, told the Associated Press. “He was very bubbly, loved to dance with his brothers, his mom. This has just taken a toll on all of us.”
His cousin, Stephanie Harris, wrote the following:
“It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness that we have to create this fundraiser for our cousin Felicia Martinez and Abel Lopez. The Medina family is asking for your help at this time both monetarily, for funeral expenses, as well as prayers for her and her family at this time. Her son was tragically taken along with so many other precious angels today in Uvalde, but we as family, know he is now with his Grandpa Benny in the Kingdom of Heaven. Any bit helps and if you cant help at this time, please lift him and all the parents coping this tragedy and loss, up in prayers tonight. If you cannot contribute at this time a share is greatly appreciated. Thank you and God Bless our children.”
Amerie Jo Garza, 10
Amerie Garza, also 10, was confirmed to have been killed in Tuesday’s shooting.
She was about to finish fourth grade, according to KSAT.
Her father posted on Facebook moments before her death was confirmed.
Uziyah Garcia, 8
Uziyah Garcia, who was reportedly 8, was identified by his aunt, Nikki Cross, NBC Dallas-Fort Worth reported.
According to Uziyah’s family, he was a fourth-grader at Robb Elementary.
Annabelle Rodriguez, 10
Annabelle Rodriguez, 10, was killed along with her cousin Jackie Cazares, KSAT reported. They were classmates in their fourth-grade class at Robb Elementary.
Jacklyn Cazares, 10
Jacklyn Cazares, also 10, died in the shooting, according to her father, Javier Cazares.
“Taken out of arms and lives, in this freaking cowardly way, so young, so innocent, full of life and love,” he wrote on Facebook. “It hurts us to our souls.”
Cazares told reporters that his daughter was a firecracker, who had recently made her First Communion.
“She was full of love and full of life,” he said. “It comforts me a little bit that she would be the one to help her friends in need.”
Cazares told The Associated Press that he went straight to the school when he heard about the shooting. When he arrived, police were only just assembling outside.
He suggested to those around him that they go in to try to stop the shooter.
“Let’s just rush in because the cops aren’t doing anything like they are supposed to,” he said. “More could have been done.”
“They were unprepared,” he added.
Eliahana Cruz Torres, 10
The family of Eliahana Cruz Torres learned of her death late Tuesday night, KSAT said.
Rojelio Torres, 10
According to KSAT, Rojelio’s aunt, Precious Perez revealed that their family waited for nearly 12 hours to find out her nephew had been killed.
“We are devastated and heartbroken. Rojer was a very intelligent, hard-working and helpful person. He will be missed and never forgotten,” Perez said.
Alithia Ramirez, 10
Alithia Ramirez loved to draw and wanted to be an artist, her father told KSAT, and she had recently submitted a drawing to the Doodle for Google contest.
Ryan Ramirez told KSAT they were trying to get family together. “That’s what my daughter would want us right now to do, is to be strong.”
Jaliah Nicole Silguero, 10
Veronica Luevanos was the mother of Jaliah Nicole Silguero. She posted on her Facebook page, “I’m so heart broken my baby I love u so much mamas don’t ever forget that watch over me daddy and your sisters and big bro fly high baby girl”
Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10
Jayce Carmelo Luevanos was a cousin to Jaliah Nicole Silguero, who also died in the shooting. Veronia Luevanos, the mother of Silguero, posted on her Facebook page, “My baby you didn’t deserve this neither did your classmates n cousin Jayce nor your 2 teacher’s. I’m so heart broken baby We miss you so much mama R.I.P my beautiful angel fly high baby can’t wait to see u again”
“We Love You Jailah & Jayce fly high my loves”
Jose Flores, Jr., 10
Christopher Salazar, uncle to Jose Flores, Jr., wrote in a Facebook post, “I’m going to miss you baby Jose, i still can’t believe this happened my heart is broken just hearing them tell us your gone it hurts me I love you so much and I wish you were still here. I’m going to miss you soo much rest in paradise my beautiful angel”
Alexandria “Lexi” Aniyah Rubio, 10
Alexandria Rubio’s mother, Kimberly Mata-Rubio, wrote on Facebook that they had just celebrated earlier that day Rubio’s accomplishments.
In the Facebook post, she wrote, “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 Rodriguez
Maite Yuleana Rodríguez died in the shooting Tuesday at Robb Elementary, her uncle, Hector Coronado, told NBC News.
Maite was “focused, competitive, smart, bright, beautiful, happy,” her mother, Ana Rodríguez, told the AP.
She wanted to be a marine biologist and had made the honor roll. The day of the shooting, she had been recognized at an assembly, the AP reported.
“She was just so driven. She was definitely special. She was going to be something, she was going to be something very, very special,” her mother told the AP.
Miranda Mathis
Miranda Mathis was among the victims in the shooting, a close family friend, Leslie Ruiz, told NBC News.
Eva Mireles
One of the adults who was killed in the shooting has been identified by family members as 4th-grade teacher Eva Mireles.
Mireles’ aunt, Lydia Martinez Delgado, said her niece had been a teacher for the past 17 years.
She was reportedly shot and killed ‘while trying to protect her students,’ the New York Times says.
Mireles, who was in her early 40s, leaves behind a spouse and a child.
Irma Garcia
According to her school bio, Irma had taught at Robb Elementary for over 20 years and was a co-teacher in the fourth grade with Eva Mireles, who was also killed on Tuesday.
In 2019, she was one of 19 San Antonio-area teachers named a finalist for a Trinity University prize that recognizes excellence in teaching. Garcia had four children and loved barbecuing with her husband and listening to music.
Her son said a friend in law enforcement who was at the scene saw Garcia shielding her students.
Sadly, Gacia’s husband, Joe Garcia, collapsed and died on Thursday while preparing for his wife’s funeral, the family said. Joe Garcia had been married to high school sweetheart, Irma Garcia, for 24 years before she was gunned down Tuesday.
READ: Grieving husband of teacher killed in Texas school shooting dies of heart attack, family says
“I don’t even know how to feel. I don’t believe it. I don’t want to believe it” that Joe Garcia has passed away, Irma Garcia’s nephew, John Martinez, told NBC News.
The couple leaves behind four children.
Additional information will be provided in this article as it becomes available. Check back for updates.
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