Uvalde, Texas – Families of the victims from the tragic school shooting at Robb Elementary School in 2022 have reached a $2 million settlement with the city of Uvalde. The settlement, announced on Wednesday, also includes legal action against dozens of Texas Department of Public Safety officers and the school district. This announcement comes nearly two years after a teenage gunman took the lives of 19 students and two teachers before law enforcement officers intervened.
As part of the settlement, Uvalde will compensate the families of 17 children who lost their lives in the shooting, as well as two children who survived. The families’ attorneys released a statement detailing the agreement, highlighting the city’s financial contribution and additional measures to support the affected families and community.
Furthermore, the families revealed plans to take legal action against 92 state Department of Public Safety officers for their handling of the active shooter situation. According to the families’ statement, law enforcement failed to respond promptly to the threat, allowing the gunman to continue his rampage for over an hour while families outside the school anxiously awaited help.
Attorney General Merrick Garland, commenting on a Justice Department report released in January, criticized the police response as a failure. Garland emphasized that if law enforcement had adhered to standard protocols, lives could have been saved during the tragic incident at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.
In light of the settlement, the families and their legal representatives are pushing for enhanced training for Uvalde police officers, mental health services for those affected by the shooting, and the establishment of a committee to collaborate with the families on a lasting memorial. The families are seeking justice and accountability for the lives lost and the traumatic impact of the school shooting on the Uvalde community.