Latest news with #JavierCazares
Daily Mail
24-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Uvalde families sickened by paltry settlement from city that failed their kids
Families who lost children in the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting are not satisfied with the $2 million settlement the city of Uvalde, Texas, unanimously approved on Tuesday night. Javier Cazares, whose daughter Jackie was murdered at the school, told the Associated Press that the sum will be split among the 21 families of the victims. Nineteen fourth-graders and two teachers at Robb Elementary were shot by 18-year-old Salvador Ramos on May 24, 2022, making it one of the deadliest school shootings in US history. Victims' families told CNN that it wouldn't seek a higher payout from Uvalde, not wanting the city they call home to go broke. However, they are also suing other parties they feel were negligent in their failed response to the shooting, including the Texas state police. Children trapped inside the school were desperately calling 911 while cops were right outside. Officers arrived at the scene just three minutes after Ramos opened fire, but they took well over an hour to execute a plan and kill the shooter. The families' lawsuit against the city will now require enhanced training for city police officers, while also expanding mental health services for families and kids in the Uvalde area. As part of the settlement, the city also agreed to set May 24 as an annual day of remembrance and establish a permanent memorial in the city plaza. The police response to the shooting was heavily criticized because the nearly 400 police officers on the scene waited over an hour to confront and kill the perpetrator 'This is a small win in a larger battle and a lot of injustice we are still going through,' Cazares told the Associated Press. 'I couldn't care less about the money.' The settlement between the families and Uvalde was first announced in May 2024 but was just voted on by the city council this week. Uvalde Mayor Hector Luevano said the city's settlement included 'restorative justice initiatives for the families' but didn't offer any additional details. He also didn't say why it took nearly a year for the $2 million to be officially approved. The families also filed a $500 million lawsuit in federal court against Texas state police troopers and other officials in the department. Two other suits - filed in Texas and California - have targeted Meta, the parent company of Instagram, and Activision, the maker of 'Call of Duty,' a first-person shooter game Ramos played frequently. The suits contend that Meta and Activision 'knowingly exposed' Ramos to the AR-15 he used in his rampage. Also named in the legal action is Daniel Defense, the gun manufacturer for the AR-15 used by Ramos. 'This three-headed monster knowingly exposed him to the weapon, conditioned him to see it as a tool to solve his problems and trained him to use it,' the complaint said. The families are also suing 92 officers with the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Uvalde Consolidated School District, and individual employees. More than 370 police officers from agencies from the local, state and federal level waited 77 minutes before finally confronting the shooter. He was ultimately killed by US Border Patrol officers. The extraordinarily sluggish response time has led to charges for two former Uvalde school police officers, Pete Arredondo and Adrian Gonzales. A grand jury indicted both of them for child endangerment and abandonment. They pleaded not guilty and are scheduled to go on trial later this year. Arredondo, the former school district police chief, was listed as the incident commander for the district's active shooter response plan. In an interview with investigators from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Arredondo appeared to admit that he chose not to engage with the shooter and allow more kids to be at risk. 'Once I realized that was going on, my first thought is that we need to vacate. We have him contained – and I know this is horrible and I know it's [what] our training tells us to do but – we have him contained, there's probably going to be some deceased in there, but we don't need any more from out here,' he was heard saying in footage first obtained by CNN. The decision went against the department's protocol, which directs any armed officer on the scene of an active school shooter to engage, regardless of the risk to themselves. Arredondo was one of the first to arrive at the school after the shooting began, and was armed with a handgun. He told investigators that he wanted to wait until officers with rifles were scene before attempting to engage Ramos.
CBS News
24-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Uvalde leaders approved $2 million for Robb Elementary families in first settlement over attack
City leaders in Uvalde approved a $2 million settlement for families of the victims of the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting, marking the first time one of the myriad lawsuits has led to financial compensation. Attorneys for the families first announced the terms of the settlement with the city in May 2024, and it was approved by the Uvalde City Council Tuesday night. The settlement with the city will spread the $2 million among the 21 families of the victims killed in one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, said Javier Cazares, whose daughter Jackie was one of 19 fourth-graders killed by the gunman. Two teachers were also killed. The suit addresses the botched law enforcement response by requiring enhanced training for city police officers. It also expands mental health services available to the families and the greater Uvalde area, sets May 24 as an annual day of remembrance, and establishes a permanent memorial in the city plaza. "This is a small win in a larger battle and a lot of injustice we are still going through," Cazares told The Associated Press. "I couldn't care less about the money." Uvalde is a city of about 15,000 people about 80 miles (130 kilometers) west of San Antonio. Uvalde Mayor Hector Luevano said the city's settlement included "restorative justice initiatives for the families" but declined to discuss details. He did not say why it took nearly a year to approve the previously announced deal. "The City of Uvalde is committed to honoring the memories of the lives lost, families of the victims, survivors and those affected by this tragedy," Luevano said. One of several lawsuits brought by Uvalde victims' families The families have several other lawsuits pending in federal and state courts, including a $500 million lawsuit against Texas state police officials and officers. There's also a suit against social media company Meta Platforms and the company that made video game "Call of Duty," as well as Daniel Defense, the maker of the rifle used in the attack. Multiple reports from state and federal officials have laid bare cascading problems in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and questioned whether officers prioritized their own lives over those of children and teachers. More than 370 responding officers from multiple local, state and federal agencies waited more than an hour to confront and kill the gunman. Two former Uvalde schools police officers, Pete Arredondo and Adrian Gonzales, face criminal charges of child endangerment and abandonment and are scheduled for trial later this year, but they remain the only two officers charged. They have pleaded not guilty. Mixed outcomes for mass shooting lawsuits The track record for lawsuits following mass shootings is mixed. Over the past decade, courts have tossed numerous attempts, many of which brought negligence claims against the government or the places where the attacks took place. But some get results for victims and their families. In 2020, the casino company MGM Resorts International and its insurers agreed to an $800 million settlement over a shooting on the Las Vegas Strip that killed 58 people and injured hundreds more. In April 2023, the Justice Department announced a $144 million settlement with relatives and families of a 2017 Texas church attack, which was carried out by a former U.S. airman with a criminal history. An attorney for the Uvalde families in the recent settlement with the city said they did not want to bankrupt their community — and that the settlement will be paid through the city's insurance coverage. "Faced with a difficult decision, these families worked with the community they love to make things right without creating deeper economic hardship," attorney Josh Koskoff said. "The road to healing is long and painful, but we are hopeful that this agreement enables families who lost so much and the city they call home to continue that process."
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Uvalde leaders approve $2M for Robb Elementary families in first settlement over 2022 attack
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — City leaders in Uvalde, Texas, approved a $2 million settlement for families of the victims of the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting, marking the first time one of the myriad lawsuits has led to financial compensation. Attorneys for the families first announced the terms of the settlement with the city in May 2024, and it was approved by the Uvalde city council Tuesday night. The settlement with the city will spread the $2 million among the 21 families of the victims killed in one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, said Javier Cazares, whose daughter Jackie was one of 19 fourth-graders killed by the gunman. Two teachers were also killed. The suit addresses the botched law enforcement response by requiring enhanced training for city police officers. It also expands mental health services available to the families and the greater Uvalde area, sets May 24 as an annual day of remembrance, and establishes a permanent memorial in the city plaza. 'This is a small win in a larger battle and a lot of injustice we are still going through,' Cazares told The Associated Press. 'I couldn't care less about the money." Uvalde is a city of about 15,000 people about 80 miles (130 kilometers) west of San Antonio. Uvalde Mayor Hector Luevano said the city's settlement included 'restorative justice initiatives for the families' but declined to discuss details. He did not say why it took nearly a year to approve the previously announced deal. 'The City of Uvalde is committed to honoring the memories of the lives lost, families of the victims, survivors and those affected by this tragedy,' Luevano said. The families have several other lawsuits pending in federal and state courts, including a $500 million lawsuit against Texas state police officials and officers. There's also a suit against social media company Meta Platforms and the company that made video game 'Call of Duty,' as well as Daniel Defense, the maker of the rifle used in the attack. Multiple reports from state and federal officials have laid bare cascading problems in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and questioned whether officers prioritized their own lives over those of children and teachers. More than 370 responding officers from multiple local, state and federal agencies waited more than an hour to confront and kill the gunman. Two former Uvalde schools police officers, Pete Arredondo and Adrian Gonzales, face criminal charges of child endangerment and abandonment and are scheduled for trial later this year, but they remain the only two officers charged. They have pleaded not guilty. The track record for lawsuits following mass shootings is mixed. Over the past decade, courts have tossed numerous attempts, many of which brought negligence claims against the government or the places where the attacks took place. But some get results for victims and their families. In 2020, the casino company MGM Resorts International and its insurers agreed to an $800 million settlement over a shooting on the Las Vegas Strip that killed 58 people and injured hundreds more. In April 2023, the Justice Department announced a $144 million settlement with relatives and families of a 2017 Texas church attack, which was carried out by a former U.S. airman with a criminal history. An attorney for the Uvalde families in the recent settlement with the city said they did not want to bankrupt their community — and that the settlement will be paid through the city's insurance coverage. 'Faced with a difficult decision, these families worked with the community they love to make things right without creating deeper economic hardship,' attorney Josh Koskoff said. 'The road to healing is long and painful, but we are hopeful that this agreement enables families who lost so much and the city they call home to continue that process.'
The Independent
23-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Uvalde leaders approve $2M for Robb Elementary families in first settlement over 2022 attack
City leaders in Uvalde, Texas, approved a $2 million settlement for families of the victims of the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting, marking the first time one of the myriad lawsuits has led to financial compensation. Attorneys for the families first announced the terms of the settlement with the city in May 2024, and it was approved by the Uvalde city council Tuesday night. The settlement with the city will spread the $2 million among the 21 families of the victims killed in one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, said Javier Cazares, whose daughter Jackie was one of 19 fourth-graders killed by the gunman. Two teachers were also killed. The suit addresses the botched law enforcement response by requiring enhanced training for city police officers. It also expands mental health services available to the families and the greater Uvalde area, sets May 24 as an annual day of remembrance, and establishes a permanent memorial in the city plaza. 'This is a small win in a larger battle and a lot of injustice we are still going through,' Cazares told The Associated Press. 'I couldn't care less about the money." Uvalde is a city of about 15,000 people about 80 miles (130 kilometers) west of San Antonio. Uvalde Mayor Hector Luevano said the city's settlement included 'restorative justice initiatives for the families' but declined to discuss details. He did not say why it took nearly a year to approve the previously announced deal. 'The City of Uvalde is committed to honoring the memories of the lives lost, families of the victims, survivors and those affected by this tragedy,' Luevano said. The families have several other lawsuits pending in federal and state courts, including a $500 million lawsuit against Texas state police officials and officers. There's also a suit against social media company Meta Platforms and the company that made video game 'Call of Duty,' as well as Daniel Defense, the maker of the rifle used in the attack. Multiple reports from state and federal officials have laid bare cascading problems in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and questioned whether officers prioritized their own lives over those of children and teachers. More than 370 responding officers from multiple local, state and federal agencies waited more than an hour to confront and kill the gunman. Two former Uvalde schools police officers, Pete Arredondo and Adrian Gonzales, face criminal charges of child endangerment and abandonment and are scheduled for trial later this year, but they remain the only two officers charged. They have pleaded not guilty. The track record for lawsuits following mass shootings is mixed. Over the past decade, courts have tossed numerous attempts, many of which brought negligence claims against the government or the places where the attacks took place. But some get results for victims and their families. In 2020, the casino company MGM Resorts International and its insurers agreed to an $800 million settlement over a shooting on the Las Vegas Strip that killed 58 people and injured hundreds more. In April 2023, the Justice Department announced a $144 million settlement with relatives and families of a 2017 Texas church attack, which was carried out by a former U.S. airman with a criminal history. An attorney for the Uvalde families in the recent settlement with the city said they did not want to bankrupt their community — and that the settlement will be paid through the city's insurance coverage. 'Faced with a difficult decision, these families worked with the community they love to make things right without creating deeper economic hardship,' attorney Josh Koskoff said. 'The road to healing is long and painful, but we are hopeful that this agreement enables families who lost so much and the city they call home to continue that process.'
Associated Press
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Uvalde leaders approve $2M for Robb Elementary families in first settlement over 2022 attack
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — City leaders in Uvalde, Texas, approved a $2 million settlement for families of the victims of the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting, marking the first time one of the myriad lawsuits has led to financial compensation. Attorneys for the families first announced the terms of the settlement with the city in May 2024, and it was approved by the Uvalde city council Tuesday night. The settlement with the city will spread the $2 million among the 21 families of the victims killed in one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, said Javier Cazares, whose daughter Jackie was one of 19 fourth-graders killed by the gunman. Two teachers were also killed. The suit addresses the botched law enforcement response by requiring enhanced training for city police officers. It also expands mental health services available to the families and the greater Uvalde area, sets May 24 as an annual day of remembrance, and establishes a permanent memorial in the city plaza. 'This is a small win in a larger battle and a lot of injustice we are still going through,' Cazares told The Associated Press. 'I couldn't care less about the money.' Uvalde is a city of about 15,000 people about 80 miles (130 kilometers) west of San Antonio. Uvalde Mayor Hector Luevano said the city's settlement included 'restorative justice initiatives for the families' but declined to discuss details. He did not say why it took nearly a year to approve the previously announced deal. 'The City of Uvalde is committed to honoring the memories of the lives lost, families of the victims, survivors and those affected by this tragedy,' Luevano said. The families have several other lawsuits pending in federal and state courts, including a $500 million lawsuit against Texas state police officials and officers. There's also a suit against social media company Meta Platforms and the company that made video game 'Call of Duty,' as well as Daniel Defense, the maker of the rifle used in the attack. Multiple reports from state and federal officials have laid bare cascading problems in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and questioned whether officers prioritized their own lives over those of children and teachers. More than 370 responding officers from multiple local, state and federal agencies waited more than an hour to confront and kill the gunman. Two former Uvalde schools police officers, Pete Arredondo and Adrian Gonzales, face criminal charges of child endangerment and abandonment and are scheduled for trial later this year, but they remain the only two officers charged. They have pleaded not guilty. The track record for lawsuits following mass shootings is mixed. Over the past decade, courts have tossed numerous attempts, many of which brought negligence claims against the government or the places where the attacks took place. But some get results for victims and their families. In 2020, the casino company MGM Resorts International and its insurers agreed to an $800 million settlement over a shooting on the Las Vegas Strip that killed 58 people and injured hundreds more. In April 2023, the Justice Department announced a $144 million settlement with relatives and families of a 2017 Texas church attack, which was carried out by a former U.S. airman with a criminal history. An attorney for the Uvalde families in the recent settlement with the city said they did not want to bankrupt their community — and that the settlement will be paid through the city's insurance coverage. 'Faced with a difficult decision, these families worked with the community they love to make things right without creating deeper economic hardship,' attorney Josh Koskoff said. 'The road to healing is long and painful, but we are hopeful that this agreement enables families who lost so much and the city they call home to continue that process.'
