The parent of a child who was murdered in the 2022 mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, called out Gov. Greg Abbott (R) for his message welcoming the state’s students back to school.
Abbott posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday, saying that the season brings him “fond memories” of his daughter, Audrey.
“Good luck to our Texas students and teachers heading back to school,” Abbott wrote. “No doubt you will make us, and your parents, proud this year.”
Brett Cross, whose son Uziyah was among the 19 students and two teachers killed at Robb Elementary School, responded to the post.
“You know what back to school season brings us,” Cross wrote. “Memories that our children died a gruesome horrific death and you did absolutely nothing except tell us that ‘it could have been worse’. No special session. No holding YOUR police force accountable. Lying through your teeth. [You’re] an embarrassment.”
One day after the mass shooting, Abbott said at a news conference that the shooting “could have been worse” and that Texans needed “love.”
“The reality is, as horrible as what happened, it could have been worse,” Abbott said. “The reason it was not worse is because law enforcement officials did what they do: They showed amazing courage by running toward gun fire for the singular purpose of trying to save lives.”
Abbott did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
More than 400 police officers amassed on campus after a gunman entered the school with an AR-style rifle and ammunition on May 24, 2022. It took them more than 70 minutes to confront the gunman and kill him. Some parents, like Gloria Cazares, whose 9-year-old daughter Jackie was killed in the shooting, believe their children could have been saved if police officers acted sooner. Steve McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, called the police response that day an “abject failure.”
Uvalde schools started the 2023-2024 school year on Monday. Cross’ wife, Nikki Cross, posted that she hopes her other kids will “survive” the school year.
“Today should be your first day of 6th grade,” Nikki Cross wrote on X, remembering her son, Uziyah. “After dropping off your brother and sister I sit at home terrified…waiting. I will never enjoy the first day of school again. Instead I will wait and hope they survive the year.”
Kimberly Garcia, whose daughter, Amerie, was killed in the mass shooting, posted on X that it was a hard day for her.
“You should’ve started 6th grade baby, but again I come visit you at your grave instead of watching you walk into your classroom,” Garcia wrote. “The reality of never seeing you grow or move up a grade truly hurts. I love and miss you so much. You should be here.”
Adalynn Ruiz also remembered her mother, fourth grade teacher Eva Mireles, on social media.
“Today your car sits in the driveway and hasn’t been moved since May 24, 2022,” Ruiz wrote in a post. “Today you should have started your 19th year of teaching. Today I did not see my mom wake up for school, because a year ago she didn’t come home from there. Today you should be here.”