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[[People in the town of Uvalde, Texas, are trying to come to terms with the shooting Tuesday that claimed the lives of at least 19 students and two adults at an elementary school. The 18-year-old gunman died at the scene in a confrontation with law enforcement officers. As Mike O'Sullivan reports, the tragedy touches community members and those who came to mourn alongside them.]]
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/Script Texas Shooting Grieving
HEADLINE: School Shooting Touches Many in Texas Town
TEASER: Uvalde residents mourn lost friends and neighbors, ask 'why?'
PUBLISHED AT: Thursday, 5/26/22 at 10:42 PM
BYLINE: Mike O'Sullivan
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Uvalde, Texas
VIDEOGRAPHER: Mike O'Sullivan
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Holly Franko, Reifenrath, DJ (ok)
VIDEO SOURCE (S):
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
TRT: 1:57
VID APPROVED BY: wpm))
((INTRODUCTION))
[[People in the town of Uvalde, Texas, are trying to come to terms with the shooting Tuesday that claimed the lives of at least 19 students and two adults at an elementary school. The 18-year-old gunman died at the scene in a confrontation with law enforcement officers. As Mike O'Sullivan reports, the tragedy touches community members and those who came to mourn alongside them.]]
((NARRATOR))
In this town of barely 16,000 residents, nearly everyone has a connection to Robb Elementary School or one of the victims.
This woman knows the families of some of the slain and injured children
Another woman's son, Fernando Rodriguez, is a student in fourth grade at Robb Elementary School. He was in the school when the shooter arrived but escaped with teachers and other students through a window. Friends in another classroom were among those who died.
This woman's great-granddaughter, Monique Alvarez, was among the children who escaped from the school and survived.
The woman's brother, Manny Alvarez, asks why the teenage gunman could buy weapons so easily.
((Manny Alvarez, Uvalde Resident))
"When they turn 18, they can go and buy rifles and all kinds of ammunition and everything. I don't think that's right."
((Mike O' Sullivan offscreen))
"What do you think can be done to stop these shootings?"
((Maria Alvarez, Uvalde Resident))
"The guns, that's what I think. The guns."
((NARRATOR))
There are too many high-powered guns, Maria Alvarez says.
This Nigerian immigrant drove here from his home in Austin, Texas, to pay his respects.
He survived a mass spree shooting by a gunman in Midland and Odessa, Texas, in 2019. Shot three times, he was lucky to survive. Seven others did not.
[[FOR RADIO: Mass shooting survivor Efe Obayagbona ((Pr: Eh-feh oh-buy-ahg-BOH-nah]]
((Efe Obayagbona, Mass Shooting Survivor))
"So it was sad news when I heard this. The past two days, three days, I couldn't sleep. I decided to come over and pay my last (respects) ... show some love."
((NARRATOR))
He blames politicians for not protecting the children.
(Efe Obayagbona, Mass Shooting Survivor))
"So it's so sad. Their blood is on the leaders' hands."
((NARRATOR))
A grieving community asking why these young lives were cut short.
Mike O'Sullivan, VOA News, Uvalde, Texas.
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Uvalde, Texas
Embargo DateMay 27, 2022 00:15 EDT
BylineMike O'Sullivan, VOA News, Uvalde, Texas.
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
