Uvalde leaders approve $2M for Robb Elementary families in first settlement over 2022 attack

By JIM VERTUNO AUSTIN Texas AP City leaders in Uvalde Texas approved a million settlement for families of the sufferers of the Robb Elementary School shooting marking the first time one of the myriad lawsuits has led to financial compensation Related Articles Trump administration is still resisting the judge s orders in Abrego Garcia deportation episode Wall Street rises and markets rally worldwide as Trump softens his tough talk on tariffs and the Fed Orders to leave the country certain for US citizens sow confusion among immigrants Candidate loans in default will be sent for collection Here s what to know for borrowers Hegseth pulled airstrike info from secure military channel for Signal posts NBC News reports Attorneys for the families first communicated the terms of the settlement with the city in May and it was approved by the Uvalde city council Tuesday night The settlement with the city will spread the million among the families of the casualties killed in one of the deadliest school shootings in U S history declared Javier Cazares whose daughter Jackie was one of 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 vitality services available to the families and the greater Uvalde area sets May 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 explained The Associated Press I couldn t care less about the money Uvalde is a city of about people about miles west of San Antonio Uvalde Mayor Hector Luevano commented 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 disclosed deal The City of Uvalde is committed to honoring the memories of the lives lost families of the casualties survivors and those affected by this tragedy Luevano explained The families have several other lawsuits pending in federal and state courts including a million lawsuit against Texas state police officers and officers There s also a suit against social media company Meta Platforms and the company that made video tournament Call of Duty as well as Daniel Defense the maker of the rifle used in the attack Multiple reports from state and federal administrators have laid bare cascading problems in law enforcement training communication leadership and equipment and questioned whether officers prioritized their own lives over those of children and teachers FILE Crosses are surrounded by flowers and other items at a memorial June for the casualties of a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde Texas AP Photo Eric Gay File More than 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 multiple of which brought negligence states against the ruling body or the places where the attacks took place But specific get results for casualties and their families In the casino company MGM Resorts International and its insurers agreed to an million settlement over a shooting on the Las Vegas Strip that killed people and injured hundreds more In April the Justice Department informed a million settlement with relatives and families of a 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 contemporary settlement with the city explained they did not want to bankrupt their district and that the settlement will be paid through the city s insurance coverage Faced with a arduous decision these families worked with the region they love to make things right without creating deeper economic hardship attorney Josh Koskoff reported 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