Sorrowful and somber spirit tangibly felt at Robb Memorials.
Two Robb Memorial Sites: one located on the Uvalde Downtown Square in the heart of the city; the second located at ground zero: Robb Elementary School.
I headed to the Downtown location on the Town Square first and arrived a little after 9 PM. Stylized crosses were placed around the fountain and each was decorated with flowers, stuffed animals and sometimes a child’s favorite toy or candy was placed on or near each cross.
Some people slowly walked around the fountain reading each name of a loved one who died at Robb Elementary school during the late morning to mid-day massacre. Some family members sat on park benches near the fountain, others stood silently by mostly with blank expressions on each respective face.
A few news crews were stationed on the grass near the perimeter of the Uvalde Downtown Square. One couple I met drove from Eagle Pass to pay their respects to the fallen.
Another man stationed towards the Southwest corner held a large sign saying: “Need Prayer?”
The sorrow, anger and disbelief were tangibly felt. One could not see it but the feeling was definitely there.
I left the Downtown Memorial and decided to drive over towards Robb School. As I drove towards the school turning at several neighborhood streets, I turned onto a street that was blocked off with yellow police tape located at the far end. On either side of that street just before the end large TV trucks and tables were set up but only a few persons were seen.
After parking on the side of the street I was on, I left my vehicle and weaved through the maze of television trucks, tables, chairs and equipment. At the end of the road, I saw the corner of the Robb Campus with the school’s brick sign: Robb Elementary School. Just those words alone brought images to mind of children skipping to their classes and chatting with each other at some happier time not so long ago. That time now, seemed like it was in the far distant past.
Multitudes of flowers were placed in a semicircle in front of the sign. The sign area was still on the other side of the crime scene tape controlled by law enforcement. One of two state police officers could be seen walking among the flowers placing new flowering plants or shifting the current ones.
This Memorial, for me, was a darker memorial existing place stuck between two times: the time where evil became all too real and reared it’s murderous head and the time where people mourners would be able to freely come near the sign.
Earlier this afternoon, the Robb Elementary School campus was where the Uvalde Police Department delivered a fractious and almost defensive press conference laying out the timeline of the rampage.
Many watching the press conference were voicing criticism of how long it took for police officers to enter the building to take on the shooter and to end the bloody rampage.
This site had a feel of anger mixed with a foreboding blackness that seemed to seep into ones soul.
I had to leave. Like many, I haven’t gotten much sleep.
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