Uvalde, Texas: What Happens Now?

The horrific shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX resulted in 21 deaths and several severe injuries. The community of Uvalde is beginning to bury their loved ones and the angry, grief-stricken community is grappling with what comes next.

Now

Families of the 19 children and two adults killed during the Robb Elementary School shooting are burying their loved ones. Over the next two weeks, funerals will continue as parents and loved ones try to understand the tragedy that stole their children forever.

Currently, Texas legislators, law enforcement, and news media outlets are debating the current state of gun laws and whether they should continue or be more restrictive in the future. Pressure from other states and the presidential administration has heightened political tensions on the topic and almost overshadows the tragedy of the shooting.

Families and members of the community are outraged as more details come out about law enforcement’s response to the shooting and calls from students who feared for their lives. Some recent reports state that police did not enter the school for an hour and hesitated to take action on the scene. There is pushback from law enforcement on the matter, but local media stations continue to stand by their reports.

Nationally, the shooting has reignited a contentious war of attrition between gun rights activists and criminal justice reformers. Since the tragedy at Columbine in the 1990s, school shootings have always awoken the beast that is the gun rights conversation. Now, more people than ever are pushing for stricter regulations, especially for assault rifles and automatic weapons.

Predictions

So far, few concrete measures have been taken in Texas and other states to curb gun violence. Some states have tentatively proposed restrictions on AR-15 possession and permits, but few have put these proposals to a formal vote.

Texas lawmakers could be in for a tense 2022 as communities statewide rally behind Uvalde. Their anger is justified and only continues to grow as more details are revealed. Heartbreaking testimonies of children fearfully calling for help and parents searching for their children simultaneously unite and ignite people on the topic of gun law reform.

Hypothetically

Understandably, the victim’s families and the communities around Uvalde are angry and are searching for an explanation for why this massacre occurred. Many are wondering why the police allegedly failed to respond in a timely manner and were fearful of the shooter. Others are infuriated by the callousness of the legislature and governor on gun reform and school safety.

Criminal Process

While there are no concrete plans to rectify the massacre in Texas, law enforcement must continue with the investigation into the shooter. The prime suspect was killed during the shootout which leaves the court without a defendant to prosecute.

At this point, investigators will continue to evaluate the case for evidence but without a defendant, there can be no trial. This is no consolation for the victim’s families as their only hope for justice is in gun reform.

The massacre at Robb Elementary is the second-deadliest school shooting in the United States. As the community and country continue to grieve the loss of the 19 children and two teachers, few concrete facts are evident in this case. Shane Phelps Law will continue to follow this case as it develops.