Uvalde, Texas mass shooting victim families say they feel they cannot gain closure without accountability
UVALDE, Texas – May 24, 2022, was a day that changed the lives of more than 21 families in the small Texas town of Uvalde.
It’s been one year since Javier Cazares lost his daughter Jackie in a horrific shooting at Robb Elementary School.
"It’s been sad(ness), anger, disgust" Cazares said.
Memorial for Jackie Cazares (Jackie Cazares)
WATCH LIVE: PRESIDENT BIDEN MARKS ONE YEAR SINCE THE SCHOOL SHOOTING IN UVALDE, TEXAS
The school is still standing, but is no longer used for learning. Its front yard serves as a memorial for Jackie, her two teachers, and 18 of her classmates who were also killed. Berlinda Arreola’s step granddaughter Amerie Jo was among them.
"There’s not just one emotion that stands out." "It’s a rollercoaster that just continues to happen. We are stuck on May 24th, 2022," Arreola said.
Photo of Berlinda and her step granddaughter (Joy Addison/Fox News)
The investigation into the police response continues.
Reports say police waited more than one hour on site, before entering the classrooms and killing the shooter.
A report by the Texas House of Representatives investigative committee contributed the response to "system failures and egregious poor decision-making."
One DPS sergeant, the school Chief of Police, and a school officer were fired. No one has been criminally charged.
The District Attorney says Texas Rangers are still investigating, and the findings will be presented to a grand jury.
"There’s school accountability, there’s police accountability, there’s government accountability; there’s a lot of stuff that needs to be done, and when it happens, we will see some type of justice for our kids" Cazares said.
In the meantime, parents say they feel the support of the community and organizations as they fight and grieve.
But, Berlinda and Javier say their hearts remain broken.
The elementary school's front yard is now a memorial (Joy Addison/Fox News)
"You cannot recover from a mass shooting. You just can’t," Arreola said.
Javier leaves this message to his daughter.
"I’m not giving up, baby" Cazares said.
Joy Addison joined Fox News in 2022 as a multimedia reporter in Houston.
