Hispanics in Indy impacted by Texas school shooting

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — In Indianapolis, people in the Hispanic community are feeling the impact of the deadly shooting at Robb Elementary School in Texas, on Tuesday.

“Yesterday was my kids last day of school and it was a relief,” the bilingual organizer of Stand for Children Indiana, Carolina Figueroa, said.

The tragedy in Uvalde was the deadliest school shooting in Texas history, leaving 19 children and two teachers dead.

“It’s horrible,” Irma Perdomo, a parent, said. “It feels sad in the heart.”

18-year-old Salvador Ramos opened fire at Robb Elementary where 90% of its’ students are Hispanic, and about 81% come from low-income families, according to 2021 state data.

Now in Indianapolis, Hispanics are thinking about the families impacted by the violence.

“When we see this happening even if it’s in Texas, which is far away from us, we feel that pain,” Figueroa said. “Our families feel that pain, and our kids feel that pain.”

“Of course, we Hispanics tend to be more united and give opinions, but I believe that the pain is the same regardless of the race,” Perdomo said.

Indianapolis Public Schools parent Irma Perdomo has a 9-year-old daughter in elementary school. She says it’s tough to wrap her mind around the tragedy.

“Very afraid of not knowing if my school is really safe, if they are going to come back to me, if there’s not going to be a person who is not going through good times, and could make an attack of this type,” Perdomo said.

Figueroa says her children are also feeling the impact.

“My kids saw kids that look like them and they’re like, ‘Wow, you know, they’re Latino. You know? Or, the shooter is Latino.’ Like, they were surprised,” Figueroa said.