The drama that killed 21 people, including 19 children, Tuesday in Texas, took place according to the usual scenario of mass shootings in the United States: a young shooter from a dysfunctional family, his radicalization on Social networks and, above all, an extremely easy access to firearms.
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You have to hate your childhood to tackle a primary school armed with an assault rifle. A few days before a graduation ceremony in which he was not going to participate, Salvador Ramos, 18, exploded the lives of 19 children from 9 to 11 years old, ruined that of their families, his big -Mer, and lost hers. He joined the list of young people out of society, mass killers before he was even 20 years old. In 1999, the Columbine shooting (Colorado) had left 13 dead: the country was in shock for weeks. Thirteen dead is eight less than in Uvalde.
In front of the Robb Elementary school, at the exit of Uvalde, the sign “Bienvenidos” is covered by flowers and balloons. The inhabitants come with the family to deposit who a bouquet, who a teddy bear. On GoFundme, the family support fund continues to swell, like the hearts of parents. A few hours after the massacre on Tuesday May 24, they were asked for DNA samples. The bodies of certain children, sprayed by the balls, are unrecognizable.
This is the graduation season, end -of -studies ceremonies, a big deal in a locality where “everyone knows everyone”. The day before the killing, the students of terminal came to greet the little ones in primary school, dressed in their togas of graduates, a tradition in the county. In the morning, Xavier Lopez, 10, and Jose Flores, same age, had posed for photos – their last – with their honor tables. Education is an important subject for minorities, among Hispanics in particular. A high school diploma is the hope of accessing the American dream. Salvador Ramos had dried too many lessons to be able to claim the end -of -year awards. 2>
“It’s time to die”
Uvalde has 15,000 inhabitants, 78 % Latinos. The old center is made of wooden houses, without floor, covered with cross, welcome messages, colors and flowers. 85 km from the Mexican border, immigration is old (only 10 % of residents were born abroad), and everyone is bilingual. “A community of faith, schools and agricultural workers”, summarizes one of the county commissioners, Ronald Garza. And rather prosperous, if we judge by the number of shiny tractors exposed by the dealers at the entrance to the city.
Uvalde’s economy also benefited from strengthening security on the border, the first checkpoint of which is 7 km away. On Tuesday, it was the border police that the local police called for the rescue to confront Salvador Ramos, who had barricaded himself in a class. The killer was able to stay on site for more than an hour without being neutralized. An eternity for the parents who had started to come together outside the establishment, prevented from entering it by police officers who, instead of rushing over the assassin, brutalized the fathers who wanted to give the assault . A mother told the Wall Street Journal that she had been handcuffed, but that she had managed to free herself, jump over the fence and get her children.
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