Nineteen students and two teachers were killed on Tuesday at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in what is the deadliest school shooting in Texas history and the most significant school shooting in US history since Sandy Hook in 2012.
Parents waited late into the night at a nearby civic center to check if their children had survived the attack, or if they were among those killed, CNN reported. Some parents also said that they had to give DNA samples to assist police in identifying the children.
"We see people coming out just terrorized," Texas State Sen. Roland Gutierrez said in a statement to CNN. "They're crying one by one. They're being told that their child has passed on," adding that there are still those who "have not had their children identified."
Here is a list of the victims identified so far:
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Eva Mireles was one of the teachers who taught fourth-grade children. In a short biography posted on the school district's website, Mireles had written she had "a supportive, fun and loving family" comprised of her husband, her college-graduate daughter and "three furry friends."
"I love running, hiking, and now you just might see me riding a bike!!" Mireles wrote on the website. Her husband, Ruben Ruiz, is a police officer in the school district's police force, the agency investigating the massacre. A mother of one of Mireles's former students she was the best teacher her child had, according to a KSAT report.
The student has Down Syndrome, the report said, and Mireles "was constantly going the extra mile" for her.
JUST IN- First victim of the Uvalde school massacre has been identified as Eva Mireles, a 4th Grade Teacher at Robb Elementary. Photos from aunt Lydia Martinez DelgadoLatest info here-> https://t.co/4u3tz7ww6f pic.twitter.com/OZkOjUnU5m
— KSAT 12 (@ksatnews) May 24, 2022
My daughter’s beautiful teacher was the teacher who was killed in Uvalde, TX. Eva (Ms Mireles) taught Gabby in elementary school. She was a beautiful person & dedicated teacher. She believed in Gabby & went above & beyond to teach her as you can see below. There are no words. pic.twitter.com/qMlVoVEUrY
— Audrey (@audreymg0928) May 24, 2022
Mireles's aunt said in response to her niece's death that she is "furious that these shootings continue. These children are innocent; rifles should not be easily available to all. This is my hometown — a small community of less than 20,000. I never imagined this would happen – especially to loved ones."
The second teacher killed was Irma Garcia, according to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, citing her son, who also said that a friend who was at the scene of the incident said that he saw that Garcia "positioned with her body to protect her students."
The first student to be identified was Xavier Lopez, a fourth-grade student.
UPDATE- The first student to be identified is 4th grader Xavier Lopez. His mother was with him at the school during an awards ceremony just hours before the shooting, not realizing it would be the last time she would see him #KSATnews https://t.co/xjX9REJVf0 pic.twitter.com/KBIVCDCI3w
— KSAT 12 (@ksatnews) May 25, 2022
Lopez's cousin mourned his death, saying that "he was just a loving 10-year-old little boy, just enjoying life, not knowing that this tragedy was going to happen today."
The second student identified was 10-year-old Amerie Jo Garza, another fourth-grade student. Her father waited hours for news whether she survived, only to discover that she was among the victims, according to KSAT, an ABC affiliate in San Antonio.
Garza's father wrote on Facebook: "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."
We just heard screams inside the civic center. Yet another family hearing the worst news possible pic.twitter.com/bqttzDyhFf
— Leigh Waldman (@LeighWaldman) May 25, 2022
Uziyah Garcia was another victim of the attack. His grandfather received word of his death, saying that he was "the sweetest little boy that I’ve ever known. I’m not just saying that because he was my grandkid,” KSAT reported.
Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10, was a third-grader who was among the victims. She was in the same classroom as her cousin, who was also reportedly killed, according to The Houston Chronicle.
Terrible update: Family members tell me officials have confirmed 10-year Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez was killed today. They say she was in 3rd grade and in the same classroom as her cousin. And they say her cousin was also killed today. @KHOU #Uvalde pic.twitter.com/FYuFQmEH5p
— Anayeli Ruiz KHOU (@AnayeliNews) May 25, 2022
Other child victims include Rojelio Torres, 10, Ellie Lugo and Nevaeh Bravo, multiple media sources reported.
Three children and one woman, 66, have been taken to the University Hospital in San Antonio to have their injuries treated.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
This is a developing story.