Uvalde father breaks down telling CNN the heartbreaking fashion in which he learned of his daughter’s death
On Anderson Cooper 360 Wednesday, reporting from Uvalde, Texas, Cooper spoke to a man who’s daughter was one of the 19 children murdered when a gunman entered Robb Elementary School on Tuesday. Angel Garza is a medical aide and arrived on the scene of the massacre to help the wounded, only to find out in heartbreaking fashion what had happened to his 10-year-old daughter Amerie.
“One little girl was just covered in blood, head to toe,” Garza said. “I thought she was injured, I asked her what was wrong, and she said she was okay. She was hysterical saying that they shot her best friend, that they killed her best friend and she’s not breathing. That she was trying to call the cops. And I asked the little girl the name, and she said Amerie.”
Garza understandably got emotional several times throughout the interview, especially when speaking about Amerie.
“She was so sweet, Mr. Cooper. She was the sweetest little girl who did nothing wrong,” Garza said. “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. I just want to know what she did to be a victim.”
Video transcript
[THEME MUSIC]
ANGEL GARZA: She was just trying to call the authorities, (TEARFULLY) and I guess he just shot her.
[BACKGROUND NOISE]
How do you look at this girl and shoot her?
[CRIES]
KYLIE MAR: Angel Garza joined "Anderson Cooper 360" from Uvalde, Texas, Wednesday to speak about his 10-year-old daughter Amerie who was one of the 19 children murdered when a gunman opened fire in Robb Elementary School on Tuesday. Angel said that he's a med aid, and arrived on the scene to help the injured, and found out about his daughter's death from one of her friends.
ANGEL GARZA: One little girl was just covered in blood, head to toe. Like, I thought she was injured. I asked her what was wrong, and she said, she's OK. She was hysterical saying that they shot her best friend, that they killed her best friend. And I asked the little girl the name, and she's-- [CRIES] and she told me [? the name. ?] She said Amerie.
KYLIE MAR: Not yet knowing his daughter's fate, Angel posted on Facebook asking for help locating Amerie. Now, knowing she's gone, he told Cooper about his daughter.
ANGEL GARZA: She was so sweet, (TEARFULLY) Mr. Cooper. She was the sweetest little girl who did nothing wrong. She listened to her mom and dad. She always brushed her teeth. She did that-- she was creative. She made things for us. She never got in trouble in school.
KYLIE MAR: And Angel spoke about the heartbreaking task of informing his three-year-old son that his sister was gone.
ANGEL GARZA: We've informed him that his sister is now with God and that she will no longer be with us. And of course, he just cried. I mean, he's three years old, and this is still just emotional for him to even process.
