A teacher who tried to protect her young students from a killer gunman has been named as one of the victims of the Texas school massacre.
Eva Mireles, a 44-year-old wife and mum, was a special education teacher at Robb Elementary who had worked in the school district for 17 years, her aunt said in a message confirming that she was among the dead.
Lydia Martinez Delgado told the New York Times her niece had been shot and killed while trying to shield the children in her classroom on Tuesday and that she was "very loved".
“She was the fun of the party," Ms Delgado said.
Ms Mireles was married to local policeman Ruben Ruiz, 43, and her profile on the school website describes her as having a college-aged daughter.
It stated: “I’ve been an educator for 17 years. I’ve been Co-teaching with Mrs. Garcia for 5 years.
“I have a supportive, fun, and loving family, which includes a UCISD officer (Ruiz), college graduate daughter (Adalynn), and 3 furry friends(Callie, Kane,& Koda). I love running, hiking, and now you just might see me riding a bike!!”
Ms Delgado spoke of her fury at the way the shootings continue to take place in the US following her niece's death.
She stated: "I'm furious that these shootings continue. these children are innocent. Rifles should not be easily available to all. This is my hometown, a small community of less than 20,000.
"I never imagined this would happen to especially loved ones ... All we can do is pray hard for our country, state, schools, and especially the families of all."
Among those still missing after the massacre is Annabelle Guadalupe Rodriguez, aged 10, and her father shared a photo of her in the hope of her being found.
Her dad spoke to Fox News saying that he had not been able to make contact with Annabelle since the shooting.
Salvador Ramos, 18, opened fire at Robb Elementary School, in Uvalde, before being shot and killed by police.
Judging from the grades of the students enrolled at the school, the victims ranged in age from 7 to 10.
The motive for the massacre was not immediately known.
The carnage unfolded just 10 days after 10 people were killed in Buffalo, New York, in a predominantly Black neighbourhood.
Authorities have charged an 18-year-old man who they said had traveled hundreds of miles to Buffalo and opened fire with an assault-style rifle at a grocery store.
