City of Uvalde reaches settlement with families of school shooting victims
An attorney representing the families of the Robb Elementary School mass shooting victims confirmed to ABC News on Tuesday night that a settlement was reached and approved by a unanimous vote at a city council meeting in Uvalde, Texas.
Josh Koskoff, one of the attorneys who filed the lawsuit against the city, did not specify the exact terms of the settlement.
The lawsuit responds to the circumstances surrounding the school shooting that took place on May 24, 2022, claiming the lives of two teachers and 19 students.
In addition to a monetary settlement that would be paid out by the city's insurance, the families were asking for Uvalde Police to adopt new fitness standards for the force and boost officer training, attorneys announced at a press conference in May 2024.
At the time of filing the suit, Koskoff told ABC News that the plaintiffs also were asking the city to maintain the cemetery where many of the victims are buried and to provide an updated accounting of the donations and spending related to May 24.
"No community is truly equipped to deal with the abject horror and heartbreaking aftermath of a mass shooting carried out with an AR-15," Koskoff said in a statement on Wednesday. "Still, 376 law enforcement officers failed to follow even basic protocols at Robb Elementary that could have saved lives."
"Faced with a difficult decision, these families worked with the community they love to make things right without creating deeper economic hardship," he added. "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."
The plaintiffs were also asking to designate May 24 as an official day of remembrance in Uvalde and to create a committee for a permanent memorial in town.
The attorney confirmed all 21 victims' families were represented in the lawsuit, but didn't disclose any others who are listed as plaintiffs.
Responding to the settlement, Uvalde Mayor Hector Luevano said, "In addition to working directly with many families to guide collaborative education and community reconciliation efforts, the City will work with the committee representatives of the families, community and city for a permanent memorial at the Plaza and promote the shared healing of the Robb families and the broader community."
"The agreement also affirms the City's commitment to supporting the Uvalde Police Department's Guardian Initiative, including enhanced emergency training and evaluation for officers, as well as mental health support, while working to instill trust and confidence in the men and women who take on the critical responsibility of protecting all Uvalde residents," he continued.
"We look forward to our continued work and collaboration with the Robb families to ensure the Uvalde community can move forward on a path of collective healing and reconciliation," the mayor said.
