Lubbock unites at vigil for Uvalde school shooting victims
Twenty one white poster boards, each with a single photo on them displaying a victim of the Uvalde school shooting, lined the walking trail at Charles A. Guy Park on Friday night.
Hundreds of Lubbockites gathered at the park just after sunset Friday to pray, grieve and remember the 21 people - including 19 children and two teachers - killed Tuesday afternoon during a school shooting in Uvalde.
Kaitlyn Mankin, an organizer of the LBK Lights For Uvalde event and member of the Lubbock Mom Blog Facebook group, said she wanted to create an event to honor the memories of the victims.
“There was a lot of moments for grieving really hard, you know, I mean, I know it hits everybody,” Mankin said. “It just seems like all the mamas were really affected.”
Candles and flowers were also set in front of the poster boards and a big poster board displaying all 21 victims. Of the 21 victims, two were teachers — Irma Garcia Eva Mireless.
The other 19 — Naveah Bravo, Jacklyn Cazares, Makenna Lee Elrod, Joes Flores Eliahna Garcia, Uziyah Garcia, Amerie Jo Garcia, Xavier Lopez, Jayce Luevanos, Tess Marie Mata, Miranda Mathis, Alithia Ramirez, Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, Maite Rodriguez, Alexandria Aniyah Rubio, Layla Salazar, Jailah Silguero, Eliahna Crus Torres and Rojelio Torres — were children.
Mankin said she wanted one night where people could put aside political or religious differences and come together as a community.
“I think the important thing is, No. 1, being able to grieve the victims or the kiddos that were lost,” Mankin said.
How to help
Los Seguidores de Christo, a local biker organization, set up a donation account with First State Bank in Uvalde where people can go to any of the First State Bank branches to donate.
People can make checks out to the “Robb School Memorial Fund” and mail the check to First State Bank of Uvalde, 200 E Nopal St. Uvalde, Texas 78801.
Zelle donations are also being accepted and can be sent to robbschoolmemorialfund@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock unites at vigil for Uvalde school shooting victims
