The community of Uvalde was forever changed after a gunman entered Robb Elementary and killed 19 children and 2 teachers in May 2022.
It took over an hour for nearly 400 officers to finally kill the gunman. Meanwhile, children inside the building were calling for help. Over a year and a half later, the city is left to grapple with the aftermath of gun violence and the delayed police response.
A Uvalde-based podcast started earlier this year details the accounts of survivors, the victims' families, and other issues impacting Uvalde, including lack of accountability and transparency. Karma Korner was started by Uvalde parent Adam Martinez and his friend Jimmy Alvarado. The two co-hosts met at a rally calling for accountability for the shooting.
The podcast features a first-hand account of the shooting by Arnulfo Reyes, a Robb Elementary School teacher who was the lone survivor of room 111 after his students were all shot dead.
Karma Korner also features episodes with the parents of the young victims, former Mayor Don McLaughlin, and a therapist who discusses the lack of mental health support in Uvalde.
How does a community move forward from a tragedy like this with minimal resources? How does gun violence affect rural towns differently than other cities? Have we become too comfortable with thinking our own cities are immune from gun violence?
Guests:
Adam Martinez and Jimmy Alvarado are cohosts of the podcast "Karma Korner."
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This interview was recorded on Tuesday, December 12, 2023.
