Photo: Twitter
By Nia Tipton — Written on May 26, 2022
A Uvalde med aide, whose daughter was killed in the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School, said he learned about her death after arriving at the scene and seeing one of her friends "covered in blood."
Angel Garza, a trained medic, told CNN's Anderson Cooper that he arrived at the elementary school ready to help, assisting first responders who were tending to children.
Amerie Jo Garza's father learned his daughter was one of the Uvalde victims from her best friend.
Garza said that he saw one little girl "just covered in blood" from "head to toe" and went over to ask if she was okay.
"She was hysterical saying that they shot her best friend, they killed her best friend, that she's not breathing," Garza tearfully said. "That she was trying to call the cops. And I asked the little girl the name and she said, Amerie."
Clutching a photo of Amerie, Garza wept as he recounted the moment that changed his life forever while standing outside of the elementary school.
When the shooter, identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, entered the school, fourth-grade honor student, Amerie Jo Garza attempted to call the police, her father told CNN.
"She was trying to do the right thing," Garza said. "She was just trying to call the cops... and I guess he just shot her."
Amerie had just celebrated her tenth birthday two weeks earlier and had received the phone as a gift.
"She'd been wanting a phone for so long and we finally got it for her."
"How do you look at this girl and shoot her? Oh, my baby. How do you shoot my baby?" Garza pleaded. "I just want people to know that she died trying to save her classmates. She just wanted to save everyone."
Garza told CNN that he and his wife, Kimberly Garcia, tried to explain Amerie's death to their 3-year-old son.
"We informed him that his sister is with God and that she will no longer be with us and of course, he just cried," he said, adding that he wanted the public to keep his wife in their prayers.
"Amerie had the best mother. She did everything she could for her daughter and she's just beating herself up so bad for this."
Garza also described his daughter as being "the sweetest little girl" who had been a good student and was always well-behaved.
"I just want to know what she did to be a victim. She was so sweet… she was the sweetest little girl who did nothing wrong."
"She listened to her mom and dad, she always brushed her teeth, she was creative, she made things for us, she never got in trouble in school."
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Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics. Follow her on Instagram.