President Biden removed his signature aviator sunglasses to wipe away a tear Sunday as he visited a memorial site outside the Texas elementary school where 19 children and two adults died in a mass shooting last week.
In an emotional scene, Mr. Biden and first lady Jill Biden touched the faces of victims depicted in cardboard cutouts set up at the site near Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.
A small white cross was planted in the ground for each of the victims in Tuesday’s shooting. The memorial also featured flowers, stuffed animals and balloons.
The first couple spoke to the school superintendent and principal for several minutes and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, showed up at the memorial, prompting a man in the crowd of spectators to shout: ”We need help!”
The Bidens planned to attend mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Uvalde and meet with families of victims and survivors.
The president is no stranger to speaking about grief, often referencing the death of his first wife and two of his children as he tries to console the families of shooting victims and those who’ve died from COVID-19.
Grief over the Texas tragedy is paired with anger over the police response.
Officers did not enter the classroom for over an hour after the shooter entered the school. On-scene commanders determined they faced a barricaded subject and not an active shooter.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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