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Several events this weekend in Uvalde will mark three years since the Robb Elementary School shooting. A gunman killed 19 students and two teachers as law enforcement officers waited more than an hour to confront the shooter.
At least two churches, Sacred Heart Catholic Church and St. Philip's Episcopal Church, planned gatherings and reflections to mark the day.
"The days are passing," St. Philip's church officials wrote on their website, "but the pain, the loss, and the trauma remains."
At 10 a.m. Sacred Heart planned a prayer service and remembrance ceremony.
At 11 a.m., St. Philip's will open its doors so that community members may enter to pray and light candles. Visitors may also express themselves with chalk art on the sidewalk in front of the church or with sand art activities.
At 12:49 p.m., the church bell will toll to remember the victims. At 1 p.m., participants will walk together for "healing, peace, and nonviolence."
At noon, gun control activist Arnulfo Reyes will plant 21 flags in Uvalde's downtown plaza to mark gun violence awareness and stand there for 77 minutes.
On Facebook, he said he hoped a crowd of at least 376 people would show up. The number 376 represents the number of officers who rushed to the scene but were unable to take control of the situation with the shooter barricaded in one of the classrooms. Reyes added in the post that those who join him may wear an orange shirt or shirts with images of any of the victims. He said that other posters and signs were also welcome.
The Uvalde community will hold a candlelight vigil at 7:30 p.m. near the civic center. The Angels Uvalde Facebook group added that anyone "not able to attend but would like to honor the 21 can light up [their own] candle."
The Uvalde Together Resiliency Center reminded people to make an extra effort to care for themselves during this time, even if it means taking a little more time to read a book or garden, taking a vacation, crafting or cooking.
Support for the families has come from beyond Uvalde.
Paloma Gonzalez, a San Antonio nurse and a marathon runner is (for a second time) running in Uvalde to raise money for scholarships for several Uvalde students. She planned to run from 4 p.m. on Friday until 4 p.m. on Saturday. People were invited to walk or run a few miles with her.
The three-year mark followed weeks of developments related to the 2022 shooting.
In early April, funding was secured for the construction of Legacy Elementary, the $60 million school meant to replace Robb Elementary, which would be demolished. Legacy Elementary was expected to open later this fall.
In late April, the Uvalde City Council unanimously approved a settlement agreement with families impacted by the shooting. The approval came one year after attorneys for the victims' families announced the $2 million settlement with the city.
Attorneys said last year the settlement with the city included efforts to rebuild the Uvalde Police Department and to establish May 24 as an annual day of remembrance, to design a permanent downtown memorial, and to continue mental health support services for the community.
Earlier this month, someone vandalized the 21 white wooden crosses erected at the school to honor the victims. Police reported that some of the crosses and vases of flowers may have been knocked down the night of April 30 or in the early morning hours of May 1. Several days later, volunteers restored the site.
In mid-May, the Uvalde County district attorney filed a lawsuit that would force U.S. Border Patrol agents to testify in the case against former Uvalde school district police chief, Pete Arredondo. He was indicted last year on charges of child endangerment related to the shooting along with another former officer Adrian Gonzales. Both have pleaded not guilty.
The Associated Press reported that Uvalde DA Christina Mitchell wanted to compel testimony from three Border Patrol agents — two of them were involved in killing the gunman. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has so far not allowed the agents to testify before a grand jury.
On May 19, the Texas Senate gave final approval to a bill focused on improving school safety training and law enforcement and emergency response. Lawmakers said the Uvalde Strong Act is part of a continued effort to prevent mass shootings, specifically at schools.
House Bill 33 is designed to ensure officers complete active shooter training at schools and requires school districts and law enforcement to meet annually to plan active shooter responses. HB 33 now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk.
