Students, Teachers Identified As Victims In Texas School Shooting

The morning was filled with celebration.Amerie Jo’s grandmother Berlina Irene Arreola told The Daily Beast that her granddaughter was a model student who called 911 during the shooting.“My [granddaughter] was shot and killed for trying to call 911, she died a hero trying to get help for her and her fellow classmates,” Arreola told the outlet.“So the gunman went in and he told the children, ‘You’re going to die.’ And she had her phone and she called 911. “Then this happened.”Fourth-grade teacher Eva Mireles had been a teacher for 17 years and was 44, according to People.In a welcome message to students on the school website, Mireles wrote that she had a “supportive, fun and loving family.” She also mentioned that her family included a school district officer, whom she identified as “Ruiz,” and a “college graduate daughter,” Adalynn.Adalynn shared a tribute to her mother on Twitter, writing that she would miss their daily phone calls at 4:30 pm, when Mireles left school for the day. I want to hear you talking to our dogs with that silly voice you make so high that wakes everyone up in the morning.Mireles’ aunt, Lydia Martinez Delgado, told the Times that Mireles was a hiker who was proud to teach at a school with mostly Latino students.In a statement sent to KSAT-TV in San Antonio, Delgado said she was furious that these mass shootings continued to target innocent children:My niece, Eva Mireles, approximately 17 yr teacher for UCISD along with another teacher and 18 children lost her lives to a senseless tragic shooting.I’m furious that these shooting continue, these children are innocent, rifles should not be easily available to all.This is a my hometown a small community of less then [sic] 20,000. not all the facts have been released yet all we can do is pray hard for our country, state, schools and especially the families of all.Xavier Lopez had attended an awards ceremony for students at Robb Elementary that morning, along with his mother, KSAT-TV reported.His cousin Lisa Garza spoke to The Associated Press about the family’s grief.“He was just a loving 10-year-old little boy, just enjoying life, not knowing that this tragedy was going to happen today,” Garza said. This has just taken a toll on all of us.”“We should have more restrictions, especially if these kids are not in their right state of mind and all they want to do is just hurt people, especially innocent children going to the schools,” Garza continued.Fourth-grade teacher Irma Garcia was seen trying to protect the children, her son Cristian Garcia told NBC News citing a friend in law enforcement.She taught alongside Mireles. Uziyah Garcia’s grandfather Manny Renfro told The Associated Press his grandson was “the sweetest little boy that I’ve ever known.” “I’m not just saying that because he was my grandkid,” he added.Renfro also said they spent spring break together in San Angelo, where they played football.“Such a fast little boy and he could catch a ball so good,” Renfro told the AP.Jose Flores, a fourth-grader who “loved going to school,” was among those killed, his uncle Christopher Salazar told The Washington Post.Jose had also made the honor roll, hours before the shooter entered the school.“He was a very happy little boy,” Salazar said.