Two boys and four girls have been identified as the first child victims of the Texas elementary school massacre that left at least 19 kids dead, as desperate relatives search for their missing loved ones.
Fourth grade student Xavier Lopez, 10, was killed Tuesday when an 18-year-old gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
The boy’s mother had attended his awards ceremony just hours before the shooting, unaware that would be the last time she saw her son alive, his cousin told KTRK
A GoFundMe account has been established by a family member to help his parents raise money for the funeral. The family had already collected more than $24,000 by Tuesday night.
The family of Uziyah Garcia, 9, said he was killed in the shooting hours after announcing he was among the missing.
‘My nephew was a victim of a school shooting today,’ Garcia’s uncle Mitch Renfro wrote on Facebook, adding that he ‘was killed by a crazy man.’
The boy’s family told NBC 5 Garcia would have turned 10 this summer.
Makenna Lee Elrod, 10, was confirmed dead by a family friend late Tuesday night after her father, Brandon Elrod, revealed she had been missing since the shooting and said he feared ‘she may not be alive.’
Brandon told KTRK he was ‘on the way to the funeral home’ because ‘we can’t find my daughter.’
‘It’s pretty sad what this world’s coming to,’ he told the TV station.
Pilar Newberry, whose daughter was in a tumbling class with Elrod, confirmed her death on Facebook hours later, saying: ‘Sweet Makenna Rest in Paradise!! My heart is shattered as my daughter Chloe loved her so much!!
‘I’ll never forget how excited she was to meet a new friend from a different school! Just a few weeks ago she got a friendship bracelet from her at the ballpark and she wears it everyday! When she wakes up tomorrow she’s going to be devastated. Praying so hard for her sweet family!!!!’
Amerie Jo Garza was also confirmed dead by U.S. Marshals Tuesday night, according to ABC News. She had just celebrated her 10th birthday on May 10.
‘My little love is now flying high with the angels above,’ her father Angel Garza wrote on Facebook. ‘Please don’t take a second for granted. Hug your family. Tell them you love them. I love you Amerie Jo.’
Steven Garcia and Jennifer Lugo confirmed their daughter, Ellie, was killed in Tuesday’s massacre after she had been missing for several hours.
‘It’s hard to issue out a statement on anything right now my mind is going at 1000 miles per hour… but I do wanna send our thoughts and prayers to those who also didn’t make it home tonight!!! Our Ellie was a doll and was the happiest ever,’ Steven wrote on Facebook. ‘Mom and Dad love you never forget that and please try and stay by our side.’
Eliahana ‘Elijah Cruz’ Torres, 10, was also identified among the deceased. The fourth grader, didn’t want to go to school on Tuesday, her grandfather told Fox News – but her family told her she had to.
So far, police have confirmed that 19 children and three adults, including a 44-year-old teacher, were killed in Tuesday’s massacre. Police sources told KTRK they expect the death toll to rise.
