Dora Mendoza on Thursday paid tribute to her granddaughter Amerie Garza, who was shot dead at her school in Uvalde, Texas, and demanded urgent action from authorities to prevent another school shooting, as the debate over the access to firearms is resurfacing in the United States.
Amerie, 10, loved her lessons, drawing and playing with clay, and was among 19 children killed in cold blood by an 18-year-old gunman at Robb Elementary School on Tuesday, one of the worst massacres in recent years in the country.
“My granddaughter was here. She was an innocent child, who loved school and looked forward to summer,” says Ms. Mendoza, 63, in front of the establishment transformed into a memorial for the victims and where were laid many wreaths of flowers.
Dora Mendoza, who lived with Amerie and last saw her at a year-end ceremony hours before the shooting, wants US officials like Joe Biden and Texas Governor Greg Abbott to work together on measures concrete.
The Democratic president, who is due to visit Uvalde on Sunday, and the Republican elected official are at odds on the question of restrictions on arms sales and how to combat the outbreak of gun violence in the United States .
“Do not forget them”
“They shouldn’t just wait…for a tragedy to happen,” says Dora Mendoza
“They have to do something about it. They mustn’t forget us babies… Please don’t forget them,” she adds in a mixture of English and Spanish.
“Do something, I beg you!” cried Ms. Mendoza again, shaking with sobs. “All those cries and all those innocent babies… We don’t know what they went through.”
Like the grandmother of Amérie, several residents of Uvalde came to meditate in front of the school where 21 small wooden crosses were erected for the children and the two teachers killed.
Among those who came to pay their respects, Yaritza Rangel, 23, accompanied by her four children to lay flowers.
“We are all suffering. We didn’t think it could happen here”, where most of the inhabitants know each other, she explains.
If she prefers to avoid talking about politics, Ms. Rangel points to three measures that she would like to see come into force: extensive background checks, increased security in schools and an increase in the minimum age to buy weapons. .
“It doesn’t make sense,” she said. “You have to wait until you are 21 to buy alcohol, why do they let 18 year olds buy guns?”
Yaritza Rangel’s young nephew, who was in a class at Robb School which the gunman tried to enter without success, is traumatized by the attack, and the young woman now fears for her own children.
Her son will soon start primary school and the prospect of violence keeps him awake.
“What if it happened again?” she asks.
Another memorial has been erected not far from the school, in a central square in Uvalde. Again, 21 wooden crosses, surrounded by flowers, candles and stuffed animals.
This is where Meghan Markle, the wife of British Prince Harry, chose to gather to support the bereaved community.
“I love you, cousin, see you next time,” wrote a young girl on the cross representing one of the victims, Jackie Cazares.
27/05/2022 01:10:03 – Uvalde (United States) (AFP) – © 2022 AFP