Texas Uvalde Shooting Victims
Nineteen students and two teachers were killed on May 24, 2022.
UVALDE, Texas– Nineteen students and two teachers were killed at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022. The victims’ identities were gradually revealed following the shooting.
Eva Mireles
Eva Mireles, a fourth-grade teacher, was one of the first victims to be identified in the Uvalde school shooting. Known as a loving mother and wife, she embraced life with enthusiasm.
According to Amber Ybarra, a 44-year-old relative from San Antonio, Eva Mireles had a spirit of adventure and will be greatly missed. She was an energetic individual who cherished life’s experiences.
At the beginning of the school year, Mireles introduced herself to her new students through a post on the school’s website. She expressed excitement for the year ahead and mentioned her 17 years of teaching experience.
She shared her love for activities like running and hiking and described her family as supportive, fun, and loving. Mireles also noted that her husband worked as a school district police officer, and they had a grown daughter and three beloved pets.
Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez
Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, aged 10, was a third-grade student at Robb Elementary. On the day of the shooting, her father had been searching for her, desperate for any information about her whereabouts.
He expressed his concerns to KHOU 11 News, stating that nobody had any answers regarding his daughter’s location.
Filled with worry, he explained that her name was not listed among the survivors, and they were unable to gain access to the hospital for information.
Sadly, he later received the heartbreaking news that Annabell was one of the 19 students who lost their lives in the tragic shooting.
Annabell’s family shared that she was in the same classroom as her cousin, who also fell victim to the shooting. The loss of both children has undoubtedly devastated their loved ones.
Xavier James Lopez
Lisa Garza, a 54-year-old resident of Arlington, Texas, spoke with The Associated Press and identified her cousin, Xavier Javier Lopez, aged 10, as one of the victims in the tragedy.
According to Garza, Xavier was filled with anticipation for the upcoming summer, looking forward to spending time swimming and enjoying the season like many children do. The loss of Xavier has deeply affected his family, who now mourn the dreams and joys he had ahead of him.
“He was just a loving 10-year-old little boy, just enjoying life, not knowing that this tragedy was going to happen today,” she said. “He was very bubbly, loved to dance with his brothers, his mom. This has just taken a toll on all of us.”
Layla Salazar
Vincent Salazar said his 10-year-old daughter, Layla, loved to swim and dance to Tik Tok videos. She was fast — she won six races at the school’s field day, and Salazar proudly posted a photo of Layla showing off two of her ribbons on Facebook.
Each morning as he drove her to school in his pickup, Salazar would play “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” by Guns ‘n’ Roses and they’d sing along, he said.
“She was just a whole lot of fun,” he said.
Uziyah Garcia
Manny Renfro told the Associated Press he got word Tuesday that his grandson, 8-year-old Uziyah Garcia, was among those killed.
“The sweetest little boy that I’ve ever known,” Renfro said. “I’m not just saying that because he was my grandkid.”
Renfro said Uziyah last visited him in San Angelo during spring break.
“We started throwing the football together and I was teaching him pass patterns. Such a fast little boy and he could catch a ball so good,” Renfro said. “There were certain plays that I would call that he would remember and he would do it exactly like we practiced.”
Credit: AP
This March 2022 photo provided by Manny Renfro shows his grandson, Uziyah Garcia, while on spring break in San Angelo, Texas. The 8-year-old was among those killed in Tuesday’s shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 24 in Uvalde, Texas. (Manny Renfro via AP)
Rogelio Torres
The father of Rogelio Torres confirmed to KHOU 11’s Anayeli Ruiz Wednesday morning that his son was killed during the shooting at Robb Elementary School.
Rogelio was 10 years old.
Another sad update: I just spoke with Rogelio’s dad and he confirms his son was killed yesterday. @KHOU https://t.co/tdciiUMcEk
— Anayeli Ruiz KHOU (@AnayeliNews) May 25, 2022
Eliahna García
Among those left to grieve were relatives of 10-year-old Eliahna Garcia.
“She was very happy and very outgoing,” said Eliahna’s aunt, Siria Arizmendi, a fifth-grade teacher at Flores Elementary School in the same school district as Robb Elementary. “She loved to dance and play sports. She was big into family, enjoyed being with the family.”
9 year-old Ellie Garcia was about to turn 10. Her family just shared this photo with me as the community rallies around them and the families of 18 other children and two teachers killed yesterday in the Uvalde school massacre #khou11 @KHOU pic.twitter.com/dIwMFO48LA
— Jason Miles (@JMilesKHOU) May 25, 2022
Nevaeh Bravo
Nevaeh Alyssa Bravo also was killed and her aunt noted Naveah’s first name is Heaven spelled backward. In a Facebook posting, Yvonne White described Nevaeh and Jailah, her cousin who was also killed in the massacre, as “Our Angels.”
Eliahana Cruz Torres
Fourth-grader Eliahana Cruz Torres was looking forward to her last softball game of the season before she was killed Tuesday.
“She was very excited about her softball game today. She was kind of nervous,” her aunt said. “I talked to her last night and she was kind of nervous, saying that it was her last game and she didn’t want softball to end. And she was excited because there were gonna, I guess, announce the ones that made it to all-stars. And she was also saying, like, ‘what if I make it? I’m gonna be so nervous.’ And I was like, ‘girl you got this. You’re gonna be good at it. You got this.’ So she was excited.”
Jailah Nicole Silguero
Veronica Luevanos, whose 10-year-old daughter, Jailah Nicole Silguero, was among the victims, tearfully told Univision that her daughter did not want to go to school Tuesday and seemed to sense something bad was going to happen. Jailah’s cousin, Naveah, also died in the shooting.
Jose Manuel Flores Jr.
Jose’s parents told CNN that the 10-year-old was helpful around the house and loved his younger siblings. “He was just very good with babies,” his mother said. His father told CNN that Jose loved baseball and video games and “was always full of energy.” A photo taken at school Tuesday shows him smiling and proudly holding a certificate to show he made the honor roll.
Amerie Jo Garza
Medical assistant Angel Garza also hurried to the school and immediately found a girl covered in blood among the terrified children streaming out of the building.
“I’m not hurt. He shot my best friend,” the girl told Garza when he offered help. “She’s not breathing. She was just trying to call the cops.”
Her friend was Amerie Jo Garza — Angel Garza’s stepdaughter.
Amerie was a happy child who made the honor roll and loved to paint, draw and work in clay. “She was very creative,” said her grandmother Dora Mendoza. “She was my baby. Whenever she saw flowers she would draw them.”
Maranda Mathis
The mother of a close friend described Maranda as “very loving and very talkative.” She told the Austin American-Statesman that her daughter and Miranda had been in the same classes and that Maranda would ask to have her hair done like her daughter’s.
Alithia Ramirez
Ryan Ramirez rushed to Robb Elementary when he heard about the shooting, hoping to find his daughter, Alithia, and take her home. But Alithia, too, was among the victims.
Ramirez’s Facebook page includes a photo, now shown around the world, of the little girl wearing the multi-colored T-shirt that announced she was out of “single digits” after turning 10 years old. The same photo was posted again Wednesday with no words, but with Alithia wearing angel wings.
Irma Garcia
Irma Garcia was also killed in the shooting. She taught at the school for 23 years.
According to reports, she died while shielding her students from the shooter.
Jackie Cazares
Javier Cazares said he found out 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, Annabelle Rodriguez, who formed a tight group of friends.
“They are all gone now,” Cazares said.
The extended families of the slain cousins gathered Wednesday to mourn and comfort each other over barbecue.
Cazares described 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.
Jayce Carmelo Luevanos
Carmelo Quiroz’s grandson, Jayce Luevanos, 10, had begged to go along with his grandmother on Tuesday as she accompanied her great-granddaughter’s kindergarten class to the San Antonio Zoo. But, he said, the family told Jayce it didn’t make sense to skip school so close to the end of the year. Besides, Jayce liked school.
“That’s why my wife is hurting so much, because he wanted to go to San Antonio,” Quiroz told USA Today. “He was so sad he couldn’t go. Maybe if he would have gone, he’d be here.”
Makenna Lee Elrod
Makenna’s aunt started a GoFundMe page to help the family.
“Words cannot express the pain my sister and our family is going through. I know in the coming weeks my sister is going to be overcome with so much and any support is appreciated. Please pray for our family and remember Makenna. She was beautiful, funny, smart, and amazing. She had the biggest heart and loved her family and friends so much. Her smile would light up a room.”
Tess Marie Mata
Faith Mata told The Washington Post that her sister loved TikTok dance videos, Ariana Grande, the Houston Astros, and having her hair curled.
Alexandria ‘Lexi’ Rubio
Uvalde County Sheriff’s Deputy Felix Rubio and his wife had been at the school Tuesday morning to celebrate with their daughter, 10-year-old Alexandria “Lexi” Aniyah, since the fourth-grader had made honor roll with all A’s and received a good citizen award.
In a Facebook post, Kimberly Rubio wrote, “We told her we loved her and would pick her up after school. We had no idea this was goodbye.”
Maite Rodriguez
Despite facing challenges with Zoom classes during the pandemic, Maite Rodriguez managed to achieve remarkable academic success this year. Her mother, Ana Rodriguez, shared that Maite made the honor roll for earning straight As and Bs. Her achievement was recognized at an assembly on Tuesday.
Maite had a particular fondness for physical education and excelled in activities like kickball, outperforming her male peers in running. Her teacher even reached out to Ana Rodriguez to highlight Maite’s competitiveness and athletic abilities.
Ana Rodriguez lovingly described her daughter as focused, competitive, smart, bright, beautiful, and happy. Maite had aspirations of becoming a marine biologist and had expressed her interest in studying at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi after researching their program.
Maite’s dedication to her education and her dreams showcased her determination and passion for learning and achieving her goals. Her memory will continue to inspire those who knew and loved her.
Maite’s family member created a GoFundMe page, saying:
“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 we are deeply saddened by the loss of this sweet smart little girl. Donations for funeral expenses as well for time away from work to allow her to grieve her loss anything helps God bless and may she R.I.P Maite Rodriguez we love you.”
