Texas Shooter’s Aunt Says She also Lost Cousin in Shooting, Sends Message to Families: ‘I’m at a Loss for Words’

One of the victims among the more than 20 killed in the Texas elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas was a distant relative of the shooter, MSNBC reported on Wednesday, airing an interview with the shooter’s aunt.

Speaking with reporter Tom Llamas, the aunt, who was not identified by name, revealed a 9-year-old baby cousin of hers was killed in the shooting. Llamas clarified later that the cousin was not a blood relative to the shooter, and the aunt does not believe the shooter targeted the child or knew he was in the school.

“For everybody involved, I’m sorry. My condolences to everybody. This is something that I wouldn’t wish upon anybody and I lost a little cousin as well on the other side. I’m at a loss for words for everything right now,” the woman said in a clip aired on Hallie Jackson Reports.

Llamas reported the aunt lived with the shooter and knew him well, but she said she did not know “what was going on” with him that would lead to the shooting. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) confirmed on Wednesday that the shooter had sent out social media messages minutes before shooting his grandmother and then making his way to the school.

Llamas said network reporters have spoken to multiple other family members, including the grandfather, who all say they did not see warning signs that would have suggested this week’s shooting. Others have spoken to media outlets meanwhile and described bullying and extreme mood changes from the shooter ahead of the tragedy.

The aunt of the shooter said the grandmother is still in critical condition in the hospital. The aunt said she had returned to her home to retrieve a Bible to bring to her while she is going through multiple surgeries in San Antonio.