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Texas Official: Not Breaching Classroom Immediately Was "Wrong"; As U.S. Stalls on Gun Control, Other Countries Enact Strict Laws; U.S. Reels After Back-To-Back Mass Shootings; Review: Dominion Software Flaws Not Explained In Elections; Olena Gness: A Mother's Diary Of War In Ukraine; Families Ripped Apart by Uvalde School Shooting. Aired 8-9p ET

Aired May 28, 2022 - 20:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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KAMALA HARRIS, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: We will not stand for this. Enough is enough. We will not let those people who are motivated by hate separate us or make us feel fear.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And, of course, it was not the right decision, it was a wrong decision, period.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They needed to act immediately. There's kids involved, there's a gun involved. There's an active shooter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How an 18-year-old can access militarized weaponry anywhere is beyond me. And so please stay engaged. Please stay engaged because they'll listen to you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To all, get them please, started about it, I beg you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jose Flores, show him to the state and nation, show him to the world. I want everybody to know him. When he died, I died part with him.

JOE BIDEN, (D) U.S. PRESIDENT: We cannot outlaw tragedy but we can make America safer, you can finally do, we have to protect the lives the people and of our children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: I'm Pamela Brown in Washington, you are in the CNN Newsroom.

It is Memorial Day weekend, a time to honor the men and women who have died serving in the military. And this year, the nation approaches the holiday weekend and grief and shock after two horrific mass shootings over the last two weeks.

Tomorrow, President Biden will travel to Uvalde, Texas to mourn with the community heartbroken by Tuesday school massacre. Look at your screen right now, these 19 children near fourth graders slaughtered along with their two teachers.

Tonight, long lines of people are enduring near 100 degree heat to place flowers and other remembrances at the memorial outside the school. They are somber, they are respectful, and they are incredibly patient.

This afternoon in Buffalo, New York Vice President Kamala Harris attended the funeral of Ruth Whitfield. She is the last to be buried of the 10 people murdered in the racist supermarket attack two weeks ago today. Harris spoke to the nation and the Whitfield family.

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HARRIS: I cannot even begin to express our collective pain as a nation for what you are feeling in such an extreme way to not only lose someone that you love, but through an act of extreme violence and hate. And I do believe that our nation right now is experiencing an epidemic of hate.

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BROWN: In Texas, parents are planning funerals for their children, but there is also growing outrage over the bungled police response. More than one hour passed, which when the first 911 call, and the moment the gunman was shot and killed, and that's despite 19 law enforcement officers outside those classroom doors, taking no action as they waited for more equipment, according to Texas officials. So let's begin this hour in Uvalde with CNN's Adrienne Broaddus. What are the parents there telling you, Adrienne?

ADRIENNE BROADDUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Pam, they are stunned. There was a mix of emotion, anger, sadness, disappointment, and shock. That shock after the clear picture of the 911 timeline came in. But it's not so much what they're telling us. It's the emotions that are on display. Take a listen for yourself.

This video was captured moments ago, we were here live on TV speaking with you when the family and one of the victims showed up here at the memorial. And as she walked away, I'm told that is the aunt to one of the 19 students that died. She just kept saying oh my God, my God. And she was speaking in Spanish. And there's just been an outpouring of support as far as the eye could see for most of the afternoon. I've seen folks off camera lined up, some who drove hours just to pay their respects. They've -- the line, it's just been so long. We've seen lines like that when people are waiting to get do something free or a concert ticket but the people who have come here aren't here to get anything but they are here to give and show their support for these families.

[20:05:11]

This, after learning, it took nearly an hour for members of law enforcement to kill that shooter, an hour after the initial 911 call came in around 11:30 in the morning, from a panic teacher. So there are a lot of families hurting as they prepare to bury their loved ones. Two funeral homes are handling arrangements. Some of those ceremonies will be public, others will be private, the funeral homes have started uploading obituaries of the third and fourth graders who lost their lives at this school. And for some, the shooting is still sinking in.

This is where I want to bring in our digital reporter, Alaa Elassar. She's been here in the community on the ground talking to people. Thank you for joining us, we know that the folks here have seen so much hurt and darkness that shock of the shooting is starting to disappear. But they're still pain. What have you seen?

ALAA ELASSAR, CNN DIGITAL WRITER: Absolutely. You know, it's something huge to be here. The emotional damage that these people have gone through is evident. There's so much sadness. But between the tragedy, there are so many people who drove hours, traveled across the country to be here with the people of Uvalde. And it's been incredibly heartwarming.

I could share hundreds of stories of kindness. But one that stood out to me was yesterday, Patrick Johnson (ph), a man who drove seven hours from Carrollton, Texas to be here. The first stop he made was to go to Walmart and fill his trunk and his backseat with toys. And he's been in the town square, just his table covered in toys. And, you know, you can see these kids who haven't smiled in days, who have -- you know, they're processing something that's just unbelievable. But when they see toys, you see a smile, you know, they approach him so shy, but by the end of it, they're laughing. They're hugging him. He has been in tears. He says, from the reactions of the children that they've been getting. But you know, he's just one of hundreds of people have come to be with the community. And there's so many more ready to stand with Uvalde.

BROADDUS: You touched on something so key, these children haven't been able to smile, they should be smiling, laughing and playing. Because this is the first official weekend of their summer break. Graduations were canceled and you talk about toys, along with that. Something I've seen in this area, there have been people showing up. But I've seen food trucks and people eating. And it's almost as if food is comforting for the soul in these dark times.

ELASSAR: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you can tell that the food is a big part of the culture here. Everybody knows that, you know, you come together and you eat, you can't help but smile and you know, feel so happy. And at the end of the day food is a love language for a lot of people. So that's another instance of kindness. There's an owner of a restaurant. Carlito Suede (ph) here, it was his birthday on Thursday, and he said that after the shooting, he didn't know how he would ever cook again, something that brings him so much joy. How could he do something that brings him so much happiness when he feels the opposite. But it was his birthday on Thursday. And he decided to come together for the community and he fed over 60 families. You know, chicken wings, mac and cheese, tacos, things that you know, and those are the things that the people here need. There's no way we can heal people in just a day. But if food is one thing that will make someone smile, it goes a long way, especially in a time of darkness like this. BROADDUS: Yeah, not only is he giving to those who are hurting, but it seems like he got something out of it too. Because physically it sounds like he was almost emotionally paralyzed saying he couldn't go on to cook and that's something he loves and enjoys.

You talked about the Town Square where the toys were -- I was over there, I've been here since Tuesday night. And I did notice there were dogs providing comfort. Some folks were just sitting down on the grass, padding those animals.

ELASSAR: Yes. So there's a lot of comfort dogs that have been here, eight of them Golden Retrievers, you probably saw them around in their blue vests. They're with the Lutheran church charities. And I talked to one of their leaders and crisis responders, and the story she gave me about what those dogs are doing for these children, I mean, it really does bring you to tears, these kids who haven't smiled again, they haven't smiled in days. They are now talking to an animal. They don't want to talk to human but they're talking to an animal. They're hugging it and they feel so much better.

BROADDUS: All right. Well, Alaa, thank you for joining in the conversation.

And Pamela this is just Alla shared with us a few examples of folks in the community, providing hope and darkness because after we get through these -- the information about the timeline, healing has to take place. This community has to find a way to move forward. But they need to do that and -- with time and have the space to breathe and it's just so nice to see people coming from near and far providing their support.

BROWN: So -- you know, we saw the worst of humanity with the shooting and now we're seeing the best of humanity, all these people coming together to help and to give hope. Adrienne and Alaa, thank you both.

[20:10:12]

And if you would like to help people coping with the aftermath of the Texas School shooting, go to cnn.com/impact and find out how to make a difference.

Well, mass shootings don't only happen in the United States, but we may be the only country where they happen over and over again. CNN's Tom Foreman says that's not the case in other countries.

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TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When five people were gunned down in the United Kingdom last summer, the nation was shocked. It's had some of the world's toughest gun laws ever since a mass school shooting in 1996. Gun deaths fell by half, mass shootings became extremely rare. So in the wake of the new attack, the government announced even tighter restrictions, including mandatory medical tests for mental illness or instability in would be gun owners.

BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: My thoughts are very much with the families of all those who've tragically lost their lives in absolutely appalling incident.

FOREMAN: Large scale shootings have triggered new limits on gun ownership and access in numerous countries and advocates for gun control pointed them as proof that mass shooting incidents can be dramatically reduced.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A gunman kills more than two dozen people and injures several others.

FOREMAN: That's a 35 people were killed during an Australian shooting spree in 1996. Despite a strong gun culture and stiff political resistance, the government launched a massive gun buyback program, banning automatic and semi auto weapons, murders and suicides with firearms plummeted, and there's been only one mass shooting since.

JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: There is no need in Canada for guns designed to kill.

FOREMAN: Canada has enacted tough gun education, qualification and registration requirements in response to mass shootings there. A slaughter in Nova Scotia in 2020 spurred opponents to say those laws don't work. But again, gun control advocates note an overall downward trend in gun deaths over the past 20 years.

BARACK OBAMA, (D) FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: We know that other countries in response to one mass shooting have been able to craft laws that almost eliminate mass shootings.

FOREMAN: After 51 people were killed in New Zealand in 2019 by an Australian gunman who targeted mosques, the government in six days went after military style semi-automatic weapons, high capacity magazines, and more.

JACINDA ARDERN, NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER: Every semi-automatic weapon used in the terrorist attack on Friday will be banned in this country.

FOREMAN: And the Prime Minister said just this week, they are not done.

ARDERN: There are so obviously guns that are misused in New Zealand. And so I won't sit here and say that our system is perfect. But we saw something that wasn't right, and we acted on it. And I can only speak to that experience.

FOREMAN: Gun rights supporters insist you can't prove these regulations reduced mass shootings or that they would work in America. But these countries believe they have found a key to cutting down on gun violence. And it starts with the guns. Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: You're in the CNN Newsroom. Up next, the common denominator in many of these recent shootings troubled young men. So what warning signs should we watch out for and why is that by the way? Why is it always troubled young men for the most part?

And Anderson Cooper special reports on the war on Ukraine, as seen through a mother's eyes. We'll be right back.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The chances for us to die here in Kyiv are equal to the chances for us to die on the road somewhere. And another thing I want my children to be alive, of course, but both physically and spiritually, I wanted them to be strong. I want them to be free.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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[20:18:19]

BROWN: Well, the traumatic events in Uvalde this weekend and in Buffalo, New York two weeks ago have two things in common, guns and troubled young men. This formula is often a toxic combination behind mass shootings. The movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, Sandy Hook Elementary, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and too many others to name.

What is feeding this kind of murderous rage? And is there any way to intervene before it turns deadly? Joining me now, Criminologist and Behavioral Analyst, Casey Jordan, also Emory University Professor Drew Westen, Author of the Political Brain and The Undecided Brain.

Casey, let's start with you here. What does your research tell -- tell us about the single male shooters and what motivates them to act?

CASEY JORDAN, CRIMINOLOGIST, BEHAVIORAL ANALYST, ATTORNEY: Well, you're right, Pamela, that they're being male, does have a lot to do with that. And I know Drew's going to talk to you about that. But the reason research that we've been looking at, really focuses on the anomie, the normlessness, the strain of our youth culture, and the fact that we've been in a pandemic for two years has not helped because it has actually increased the isolation. We find that a lot of young people, but especially males, are really having a difficult time forming bonds with actual human beings, their parents, their friends, and so on. They also have a lack of coping mechanisms to help simply deal with the stresses, the strains, the failures that come with growth, and with the teenage years, just part of life is failing, picking yourself up and moving forward.

People have a very low status for frustration. They want to act out and express their rage and a lot of young people have been raised with less discipline, more permissiveness, more overindulgence, which encourages them to act out. so the isolation very often to the point of normlessness can make students withdraw and -- and this is the key become tech dependent, even tech addicted to where their world of social media, or their escape into video gaming becomes the only world they're comfortable in. This can often devolve into not just violent fantasies, but when the going gets tough, violence seems to be the answer to their problems. [10:20:29]

BROWN: Drew, we spoke last night, you think people younger than 25 should be restricted from accessing or purchasing a gun. Because before then an important part of our brains are not fully developed? What skills do we lack before reaching that age?

PROF. DREW WESTEN, EMORY UNIVERSITY: Yeah, so the part of the brain we were talking about is the frontal lobes up here, which are the -- you know, we think of them as associated with their higher functioning. So they're involved in things like our ability to regulate our impulses, our ability to regulate our emotions, our ability to think complexly and our ability to think ahead and see the consequences of our behavior.

BROWN: Well, and I want to just follow up really quick with what you're saying. Because, you know, if you look at the shooters in Uvalde, and in Buffalo, they were both 18-years-old, and they both had access, they legally obtained their weapons. Now, of course, the one in Buffalo, it was modified and so forth. And that was illegal. But that's besides the point. But importantly here, Drew, what are the warning signs?

WESTEN: Now, the warning signs come as much as anything else from -- and they probably should have said that the frontal lobes we now know, continue developing through the 20s, that you see a continued rapid development through about 25. And then it starts to -- start to decline. And, you know, car rental companies and car insurance companies have known this for a long time, they looked at the actuarial tables and saw the association between young drivers and car crashes and deaths from it, and damaged people into property. And they said, you know, Hertz and Avis started out and they said, now, we're not renting to these to anyone under 25, which is maddening to you, if you're under 25. It's like I didn't have access, it's not fair. But -- so that's one.

But the warning signs really come from the other thing that that we see in the relation between the -- between brain development and the kind of state of mind that you see in these young men, and that is the development of psychotic disorders. And psychotic disorders are disorders where you have a real break from reality, you have things like hallucinations and delusions.

And if you look at the -- at the writings of virtually all of these young shooters under 25, you can, you know, there's there are limits to diagnosis from a distance. But when you see the kinds of stuff that's written in their manifestos, it's clear that they're psychotic, that they've had a break with reality.

So what you do see in advance, and this is something that every parent of a teenager should know, every school administrator, every teacher, every law enforcement officer, we should -- this information should be out there, that there are three types of symptoms you see in psychosis, and when -- that's after the person has had a break. One of them is called positive symptoms, not positive because they're good, they're called positive because there's something that's there that shouldn't be. And those are things like hallucinations, hearing voices, seeing things, or delusions, that is false beliefs that are, you know, make no sense but that you can't sway the person away from.

Then you have negative symptoms, which are things that shouldn't be there, but aren't. Things like motivation, things like the -- like normal, emotional responses, and the desire to be with other people.

And the third is this -- is disorganized symptoms. And those are symptoms like just the inability to speak in a way that makes -- that make sense, your words are often at the most extreme, they're called word salad, where your words just aren't following from each other. But also disorganized behavior, things like not taking showers and not presenting yourself in a way that makes sense.

Also, loss of concentration. The reason I mentioned those three is because what you see in the years or months leading up to a psychotic break, and I should say most psychotic people are not violent, but one in five people under 25 who are developing psychotic, psychotic thoughts do in fact have violent fantasies and a subset of those are the ones who become dangerous. It is only a subset of those, but it is -- but that's who you're looking at.

BROWN: Yeah.

WESTEN: And so when you see things like if you look at the shooters in all those cases that you mentioned, they all had on the positive symptom side.

[20:25:04]

You saw the beginnings of these delusions, you know, whether it was in Buffalo, delusions about black people, or the Charleston shooter, delusion about black people, whether it was delusions that come from the political air of -- you know, like, you know, white supremacist ideas like that, whether it's, you know, whatever delusions were involved in thinking that somehow there was some link between this elementary school and, you know, why you would want to shoot up kids. I mean, normal people don't do that. And you have to -- you have to pretty much -- I'm sorry, you can say something?

BROWN: Oh, no, finish your thought. And then I want to go to Casey, quickly. Go ahead. Go ahead, finish your thought, Drew.

WESTEN: The second kind of negative symptoms, what you tend to see in these kids is you see social withdrawal. And you see this all these cases, the Atlanta shooter, the Aurora shooter, you see that kind of withdrawal. We saw it in -- we saw it in the teenager who just, you know, killed all those kids in Uvalde. So, social withdrawal. And emotions become --

BROWN: Because we're out of time, Drew, I am going to actually interrupt.

WESTEN: Yeah.

BROWN: Really quick, Casey, why are these men, though, I want to get more into to that, what Drew just laid out, and we talked about the brains, why is it men, if you could just sum it up quickly?

Jordan: There are a lot of theories, but some of them are just evolutionary, men believe that they should be King of the Mountain, testosterone, hierarchical, they will defend their position, especially if they're a privileged white men who have a long tradition of being in charge. If they feel powerlessness, they're going to strike out at anyone or destroy anyone who gets in their way. So people who feel like they've had a life of being second class citizens tend not to rise up and commit this kind of violence.

BROWN: Yeah. And, of course, this does not mean that most men are violent. It does not mean that, you know, most people with mental health issues are, we know that that's not the case, actually. But the data shows us what we've been looking at is that it's males. And in the recent cases, young males who are engaged in these mass shootings. Casey Jordan, Drew Westen, thank you for helping us better understand what's going on here. We appreciate it.

JORDAN: Good to be here.

WESTEN: Yeah, thanks for having us.

BROWN: Well, guns are now the leading cause of death for American children. They have eclipsed auto accidents, which were the leading cause of child deaths for more than 60 years.

For 2020, the most recent year with complete records, the CDC reports more than 45,000 children were killed in firearm related incidents. Mass shootings are appalling, but only claim a small fraction of total victims. Children die every day from guns in the U.S., every single day children die from guns in the U.S. Take that in.

Mass school shootings were once extremely rare in the U.S. until April 20, 1999, when two students laid siege to Columbine High School in Littleton Colorado, killing 13 of their fellow classmates and teachers and injuring two dozen others. That day, those actions change the conversation forever. There is no central database tracking school violence incidents. But CNN research shows that in the 23 years since Columbine, there have been at least 15 other mass school shootings. That means that incident were four or more victims were killed or injured not including the shooter. Nearly all of these attacks carried out by a single gunman.

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[20:30:35]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: Cybersecurity officials have confirmed that the software vulnerabilities found in some Dominion voting machines were not exploited in elections. Dominion long -- has long been the target of conspiracy theorists who falsely claimed the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump.

CNN's Whitney Wild joins me now. So, Whitney, what did officials find during this review? WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, they found that there is actually a list of software issues that prevent -- or present rather the very small possibility of a problem. However, there are a long list of safeguards in place and the most significant is this. What the review found is that to actually manipulate someone's vote, a bad actor has to have physical access to the machine.

In the real world, the chances of vote manipulation for these specific Dominion voting machines is just really low. Election experts say that physical access controls and other layers of defense, along with post- election audits really help mitigate the threat of votes actually being manipulated by cyber-attacks. This federal warning notes that most jurisdictions using the machines have already adopted mitigations recommended by the agency. This person briefed on this also told CNN that Dominion has provided updates to the machines to address these specific vulnerabilities.

However, the real impact here immediately, Pam, is that federal officials are very concerned about the possibility that just even putting out into the conversation that there's even a remote possibility of vote -- a vote manipulation will create this torrent of disinformation, that is what federal officials are bracing for.

[20:35:04]

BROWN: Yes, because there's so much disinformation already.

All right. Whitney Wild, thank you so much.

Well, our Anderson Cooper got a rare look at the war in Ukraine from a mother caught in the middle of it. We have a preview of a special report, next.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The chances for us today here in Kyiv are equal to the chances for us to die on the road.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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[20:40:01]

BROWN: Tomorrow night, CNN brings you a unique look inside the war in Ukraine through the eyes of a mother caught in the middle of it. Our Anderson Cooper gives us a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Thanks, Pam. You know, we've all seen a lot of images from the war in Ukraine. But this is really something that we haven't seen. It's the war through the eyes of one mother as she shelters in a basement with her three children in Kyiv, and her name is Olena Gness. And before Russia invaded, she was a tour guide, and she posted videos

about her family and about Ukraine on YouTube. But when the bomb started falling, she decided to keep rolling, to keep a video diary of what she and her kids and her husband were experiencing. She and her kids moved into a basement shelter and they've spent the entire war there every night, never knowing if they would survive through the night.

I talked to Olena on 360 since the early days of the war, and I was finally able to meet her just a couple of weeks ago in Kyiv. But when I realized how much video she'd shot, and I started to watch it, I realized what an extraordinary thing it was. It's a view of war that we've rarely seen before. It's very intimate, and poignant, it's very personal. And Olena is just lovely and thoughtful and a caring person.

This is the war diary of Olena Gness. Here's a brief clip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER (voice over): In the morning against all odds, Kyiv is still in Ukrainian control.

OLENA GNESS, TOUR GUIDE IN KYIV: So the latest update is that we are alive. I am alive. This is the Garena (PH). She's sleeping on the floor. We have some other people in the shelter woke up. It's already morning. It's like more than seven o'clock in the morning. (INAUDIBLE) sleeping on a small sofa here. It's very important that we survive this night.

Now the day has come, you know, at night everything looks much more scary for people. So as you can see, even many people left the bomb shelter right now because it's more than seven o'clock in the morning.

COOPER: Many in Kyiv are leaving. Long lines of cars clog the roads heading west. Train stations around the country filled with families trying to get out. Olena decides she and the kids will stay.

GNESS: I feel safe here. The chances for us today here in Kyiv are equal to the chances for us to die on the road somewhere. And another thing, I want my children to be alive, of course, but both physically and spiritually. I wanted them to be strong. I want them to be free.

COOPER: Olena's husband, Sergey, bring supplies for his family, his volunteer to fight despite having no military training.

He leaves quickly to rejoin his unit.

Her family, like so many others have been through so much, and it's really given them a lot of strength to know that the world is watching what happens in Ukraine. I really hope you can watch it Sunday night. You're going to, I think, come away with a whole new understanding of what war is like for civilians and especially for a mom and kids and a family. Pam.

BROWN: Yes, so important. Watch this Anderson Cooper. Thank you. "A Mother's Diary of War" airs tomorrow night at 8:00 right here on CNN. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. This week, join Carlton McCoy in Toronto, one of the best food cities on earth and one of the best hockey cities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my gosh. Such a bad idea.

[20:45:01]

I'm a little concerned. The closest I've been to an ice rink is watching the Mighty Ducks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Am I wearing things right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's a bad idea. I'm a little concerned. The closest I've been to an ice rink is watching the Mighty Ducks. Am I wearing these things right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First step to the toughest. Oh. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. That is not stable. Yes, yes, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go, Carlton. We're going here, buddy. Let's go. See? Beautiful.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Move out of the way, big tight guy. Big train coming through.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Move, move, move, move.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to put you in the game, Carlton, OK? We're going to have you face off versus Antonio and Connor (PH) right here. So I'm going to shoot a puck in the corner.

Go them him boys. Go get him. Go get it Carlton. Put it in the neck Connor. They get. They're already up one nothing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: The all-new episode of "Nomad with Carlton McCoy" airs tomorrow night at 9:00 on CNN. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:50:26]

BROWN: A short time ago in Uvalde, Texas, the family of Uziyah Garcia, a 10-year-old victim of the school shootings, visited the growing memorial outside Robb Elementary School. The week ahead will be filled with funerals.

CNNs Boris Sanchez looks at the victims and the lives that will be forever cherished.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Three days after 21 innocent lives were taken, we're learning more about the loved ones this small town is grieving.

DORA MENDOZA, GRANDMOTHER OF AMERIE JO GARZA: To all forget them, please, do something about it. I beg you.

SANCHEZ: Maranda Mathis was 11 years old. A friend of her mother's told The Washington Post, Maranda was a fun, spunky, bright little girl. 10-year-old Rogelio Torres, his aunt telling CNN affiliate KSAT, he was a, quote, very intelligent, hardworking and helpful person. He'll be missed and never forgotten.

Maite Rodriguez, also, 10 years old. Her mother Anna says Maite dreamed of becoming a marine biologist and wanted to attend college at Texas A&M. And a touching Facebook tribute, Anna calls her daughter quote, sweet, charismatic, loving, caring, loyal, free, ambitious, funny, silly, goal-driven and her best friend.

Other victims' names have also been confirmed. Layla Salazar, 11 years old, Makenna Lee Elrod, Alithia Ramirez, and Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, all just 10 years old.

And then a tragic twist. The husband of Irma Garcia, one of the murdered teachers, has also died. According to the Archdiocese of San Antonio Joe Garcia suffered a heart attack after news of his wife's death and passed away on Thursday. The couple had been married more than 24 years and were high school sweethearts.

EDUARDO MORALES, SACRED HEART CHURCH: They came to Mass every Sunday.

SANCHEZ: Father Eduardo Morales of Sacred Heart Church in Uvalde knew the family well and greeted Irma as she walked into service on Sunday morning. He says the couple were a fixture in the community and leave behind four children who he privately consoled shortly after Joe's death.

MORALES: I've told the community that in my own family when we've had a death that it's the church and prayer that has gotten us through all this. And then not that it takes the pain away.

SANCHEZ: The Garcias among a list of names of lives cut too short. Eva Mireles, Amerie Garza, Uziyah Garcia, Xavier Lopez, Jose Flores, Jr., Lexi Rubio, Annabelle Guadalupe Rodriguez, Jacklyn Cazares, Tess Mata, Nevaeh Bravo, Ellie Garcia, Jailah Silguero, Elijah Torres, names that will forever be etched in the memories of those touched and affected by this horrible tragedy.

GEORGE RODRIGUEZ, GRANDFATHER OF JOSE FLORES: Jose Flores, show him to the state, the nation, show him to the world. I want everybody to know him. When he died, I died part with him.

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BROWN: Our thanks to Boris Sanchez. It's hard for anyone to comprehend what we saw, again, at an American elementary school, just looking at those little faces in Boris' piece right there. And it's just almost impossible to find words befitting the 21 people lost to those bullets.

By Amanda Gorman, the youngest poet ever, at a presidential inauguration found a way. Her poem published in the New York Times is called, "Hymn for the Hurting." And I'd like to read it to you. Everything hurts, our hearts shadowed, and strange minds made money and mute. We carry tragedy, terrifying and true. And yet none of it is new. We knew it as home as horror, as heritage.

Even our children cannot be children, cannot be, everything hurts. It's a hard time to be alive, and even harder to stay that way. We're burden to live out these days, while at the same time blessed to outlive them. This alarm is how we know we must be altered, that we must defer or die, that we must triumph or try. Thus, well hate cannot be terminated, it can be transformed into a love that lets us live. May we not just grieve but give, may we not just ache but act.

[20:55:16]

May our signed right to bear arms never blind our sight from shared harm, may we choose our children over chaos, may another innocent, never be lost, may be everything hurts, our hearts shadowed and strange, but only when everything hurts me everything change.

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