The May 24 massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas was undoubtedly a traumatic event. Less than a month later, Mayor Don McLaughlin announced the building would be demolished because “You can never ask a child to go back, or teacher to go back, in that school ever.” Today (July 21), TMZ has learned that the United States government will assist with counseling services for its responding officers.
According to the outlet, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has set aside around $15,000 for Border Patrol agents who responded to the mass shooting to receive mental health services. Trauma expert Carrie A. Elk will provide six days of counseling. Elk is based in Florida but will aid in “psychological health training in response to the Uvalde, TX School Shooting for government personnel.” The therapist told TMZ she has been contracted for similar jobs throughout her career. As previously reported by REVOLT, it wasn’t just Uvalde police officers who responded to the attack. The small Texas town received help from multiple law enforcement agencies in the area.
Ultimately, the U.S. Border Patrol was the agency credited for killing the gunman. Eighteen-year-old Salvador Ramos was named as the suspect. The gunman killed 19 students and two teachers before law enforcement killed him over an hour into the shooting spree. Yesterday (July 20), ABC News reported that the suspect showed “almost every warning sign” that he was capable of such a terrible attack. Despite those warning signs, the gunman was still able to legally purchase a firearm. As noted in the Texas House of Representatives committee report, the suspect’s motive was a “desire for notoriety and fame.”
ABC News contributor John Cohen said, “He exhibited almost every warning sign.” Cohen is also a former undersecretary for intelligence and counterterrorism coordinator at the Department of Homeland Security. He added, “This guy should have been on everybody’s radar.” The gunman entered the elementary school by hopping the building’s fence and entering through an unlocked door.