Salvador Ramos entered the school and opened blind fire killing 19 children and 2 teachers in cold blood. The grim incident is now labeled as one of the deadliest shootings recorded in history and one that won't be forgotten for a long time to come. It is now reported, that the teenage gunman's body stayed in the morgue for 3 and a half weeks as no one was willing to give him a proper burial.
advertisement
Reports suggest the Uvalde shooter's body was left in a morgue for nearly a month after funeral homes refused to accept him.
Salvador Ramos, 18, killed 19 children and two adults after entering Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and opening fire on students and teachers.
The terrible attack happened on 24 May, and following it, Ramos was shot dead by police officers on the scene.
Credit: Zuma Press/Alamy Stock Photo
However, it wasn't until 3 and a half weeks later that Ramos's body received its burial more than 80 miles away in San Antonio.
Local funeral homes Rushing-Estes-Knowles and Hillcrest Memorial have said they were busy dealing with the passing of the victims and didn't want to prioritise the perpetrator over the families who had lost a loved one.
Speaking to the Houston Chronicle, Eulalio 'Lalo' Diaz Jr of the Uvalde County Justice of the Peace said: "Once they got to him, the funeral homes in town said, 'We don’t want to deal with him'."
advertisement
"I had to store him for three weeks. As the funerals for the victims were going on, I was still dealing with what to do with him. It was a stressful time."
He later added: "It took three, three and a half weeks to get him released to the family. They were fighting with each other."
Taylor Michelle Massey, managing funeral director at Rushing-Estes-Knowles, told the outlet that the mortuary wouldn't accept Ramos' body in order to respect his victims' families, adding that it didn't feel 'appropriate'.
Credit: Zuma Press/Alamy Stock Photo
She explained: "All of our staff grew up in Uvalde County and attended school in Uvalde County and believe that everyone deserves a dignified and respectful funeral service.
"However, in the weeks following the shootings of May 24th, we were caring for 17 families... through what is probably the most difficult time in their lives.
Credit: Zuma Press/Alamy Stock Photo
advertisement
"Under the circumstance, we did not feel it would be appropriate or in the best interest of the families for which we were caring to take custody of the remains of the individual that caused their pain."
The deadly school shooting adds to the grim tally of school shootings in the USA over the past few years.
Credit: White House Photo/Alamy Stock Photo