Family of two girls killed in Uvalde shooting speak at Texas Capitol gun control rally
AUSTIN, Texas - At the 2022 March for Our Lives rally at the Texas State Capitol, thousands attending the rally heard from the Cazares family, who lost two little girls in the Uvalde school shooting.
"I'm doing this for you, sister. If you can see me, I'm doing this for you. You will be remembered. I promise you," said Jasmine Cazares.
Jasmine Cazares unexpectedly took the podium to talk about those lives lost in Uvalde. She says her little sister Jackie Cazares and cousin Annabell Rodriguez were two of the 21 people killed in the Robb Elementary mass shooting.
The March For Our Lives is a youth-led movement dedicated to eliminating gun violence.
The Cazares family came out to Austin to join the cause after losing their loved ones in the shooting. Once spotted by organizers, the family was asked to speak in front of the crowd.
"On the morning of the 24th, I usually run into my sister in the restroom. We usually bump into each other, brushing our teeth, but I woke up a little late that day, so I didn't see her. I forgot to say good morning, and I think that's going to haunt me for the rest of my life," said Jasmine.
Later that day, Jasmine says she got the call that there was a shooter at Robb Elementary, the same school her sister and cousin attended. She says it was heartbreaking to find out her sister and cousin were two of the 19 kids killed.
"I am unbelievably angry, but I'm not going to turn that anger into hate. I'm going to channel the anger to create some real change," she said.
She says now, it is time to fight for her sister. The same sister she was supposed to practice with over the weekend for an upcoming audition to be in "Beauty and the Beast". Jasmine wanted to be ‘Belle’ and her sister wanted to be ‘Chip’.
"I never got to have that weekend with her. I have no way to express how I feel, the hurt I feel and the hurt everybody in Uvalde feels: 19 kids, 19 families," she said.
Jackie’s father was also in attendance, and just like every other person in the crowd, he called for increased gun regulations and policies.