Texas school shooting victims named as families pay tribute

America is reeling from a mass shooting that is difficult to comprehend - and Uvalde's adults and children alike grieve over the loss of their friends, sons and daughters, ITV News Correspondent Ian Woods reports

Nineteen of the children killed in the Texas school shooting have been named, including Uziyah Garcia, Amerie Jo Garza, Makenna Lee Elrod, Tess Marie Mata, Lexi Rubio, Nevaeh Bravo, Miranda Mathis, Alithia Ramirez and Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez.

Ten year-old Xavier Javier Lopez, Elijah Cruz Torres, Jackie Cazares, Layla Salazar, Rojelia Torres, Eliahna Garcia, Maite Rodriguez, Jose Flores, and cousins Jayce Carmelo Luevanos and Jailah Nicole Silguero have also been named.

Veronica Luevanos, Jailah's mother, said that her 10-year-old daughter did not want to go to school on Tuesday and seemed to sense something bad was going to happen.

Nineteen children aged between seven and 10, and two adults, were shot dead when 18-year-old gunman, Salvador Ramos, opened fire at Robb Elementary School.

All of the victims in the primary school shooting were in one classroom, the gunman barricaded himself inside "shooting anyone" in the room, according to a state public safety official.

Ramos is said to have been carrying a handgun and a semi-automatic rifle, before he was killed by law enforcement, according to officials.

He is also understood to have shot his own grandmother, who is now in a critical condition.

It is not known what Ramos' motive was.

Manny Renfro said he had been told that his grandson, eight-year-old Uziyah Garcia, was among those killed.

“The sweetest little boy that I’ve ever known,” Mr Renfro said. “I’m not just saying that because he was my grandkid.”

Mr Renfro said Uziyah last visited him in San Angelo during his spring break.

Ten-year-old Xavier Javier Lopez who was also killed was described as "just a loving 10-year-old little boy, just enjoying life, not knowing that this tragedy was going to happen today," by his cousin Lisa Garza.

“He was very bubbly, loved to dance with his brothers, his mom. This has just taken a toll on all of us," she added.

Vincent Salazar’s 10-year-old daughter, Layla, was also among those killed.

In a Facebook post, he wrote: "Yesterday we lost our heart our whole world.

"We love you baby girl Daddy is sorry I wasn't there to protect you when you needed me the most.

"We love you so much fly high my little angel fly high."

Mr Salazar said how his daughter - whom he described as a "whole lot of fun" - loved to swim and dance to TikTok videos.

She was also fast - winning six races at the school’s field day, something her father proudly captured through a photo of Layla showing off two of her ribbons on Facebook. Each morning as he drove her to school in his pickup, Mr Salazar would play “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” by Guns N’ Roses and they’d sing along, he said.

Maite Rodriguez, 10, was another victim of the shooting, Claudia Perez Sanchez, a girlfriend of a member of Maite's family, said.

She had asked people to pray Maite would be found safe, writing in a Facebook post that the shooting was "so heartbreaking".

In an updated post on Wednesday, Ms Sanchez confirmed Maite was killed. "She's been found she's now flying high with the angels. Rest In Peace Maite Rodriguez," the post read.

Miranda Mathis' cousin Deanna Miller, meanwhile, paid tribute to the 11-year-old, who was also killed by the gunman.

"My sweet baby cousin we loved u dearly I'm so sorry this happen to u baby please keep my family in your prayers," she wrote.

Javier Cazares said he found out on Tuesday afternoon that his 9-year-old daughter Jacklyn Cazares was killed in her classroom.

She was with a group of five girls, including her second cousin, Annabell Rodriguez, who formed a tight group of friends. “They are all gone now,” Mr Cazares said, describing his daughter as a “firecracker” who “had a voice, she didn’t like bullies, she didn’t like kids being picked on.” “All in all, full of love. She had a big heart,” he said.

Fourth-grade teacher Eva Mireles, 44, was remembered as a "wonderful", loving mother and wife, said her relative Amber Ybarra.

Mireles' co-teacher Irma Garcia was described on social media as a "hero", her son told ABC News that a friend in law enforcement understood she had used her body to try and shield students.

Ten-year-old Lexi Rubio's cousin Briana described the young softball player as "a bright light in everyone's life" who "left this world way too soon".

Makenna Lee Elrod, 10, has also been named as one of the children killed in the shooting.

Her sister, Kandece writing on social media, asked everyone to "hug your loved ones tonight and tell them you love them, you never know when you won’t have the chance to anymore".

Relatives of 10-year-old Eliahna Garcia recalled her love of family.

“She was very happy and very outgoing,” said Eliahna’s aunt, Siria Arizmendi, a fifth-grade teacher at Flores Elementary School in the same district.

“She loved to dance and play sports. She was big into family, enjoyed being with the family.”

Texas Governor Greg Abbot said that two officers had been shot and wounded but were expected to survive.

He said Ramos had hinted on social media that an attack could be coming and that the gunman “suggested the kids should watch out”. He said he had bought two “assault weapons” after turning 18.

Officials have not revealed a motive but said he acted alone.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know

The attack began about 11.30am local time on Tuesday, when the gunman crashed his car outside the school and ran into the building, according to Travis Considine, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety.

It is the deadliest school shooting in Texas history and occurred four years after a gunman fatally shot 10 people at Santa Fe High School in the Houston area.

It's the deadliest shooting at a US grade school since the attack at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, almost a decade ago.

Classes at the school had been winding down for the year and each school day had a theme.

Tuesday’s was Footloose and Fancy, where students were supposed to wear a nice outfit rounded out with fun or fancy shoes.

Watch President Joe Biden's speech from the White House on Tuesday evening.

Hours after the attack in an address to the nation, President Joe Biden called for new gun restrictions, asking: “When in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? When in God’s name do we do what we all know needs to be done?”

“Why are are willing to live with this carnage? Why do we keep letting this happen? Where in God’s name is our backbone?” Biden said, adding later, “It’s time to act.”

Mr Biden, who has ordered the US flag to be flown at half-mast until sunset on Saturday, called on the nation to pray for the parents and families of those who died, adding: "To lose a child is like having a piece of your soul ripped away."

“My heart is broken today,” said Hal Harrell, the superintendent of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District. “We’re a small community and we’re going to need your prayers to get through this.”

Hillcrest Memorial Funeral Home, which is located across the street from Robb Elementary School, said in a Facebook post on Tuesday evening that it would be assisting families of the shooting victims with no cost for funerals.