UVALDE, Texas – One day after the memorial outside Robb Elementary was vandalized, crews with the City of Uvalde installed cameras.
The memorial, which is made up of crosses and mementos, honors the 19 children and two teachers killed at Robb Elementary on May 24, 2022.
Uvalde Police Chief Homer Delgado told KSAT on Thursday the department planned to increase patrols and add cameras at the site.
A family member of one of the victims reported the damage Thursday morning to a state trooper around 6, Delgado said. Several crosses were turned around, with a few knocked over.
Asked whose job it is to protect the site, Delgado pointed to the larger community.
“It’s everyone’s job,” Delgado said. “From the community members to all law enforcement that are here in Uvalde. Ultimately, it’s mine.”
The Department of Public Safety has had troopers stationed outside of Robb Elementary since the 2022 shooting. In an email to KSAT, an unnamed spokesperson said troopers had a shift change around 5:30 a.m. on Thursday. The agency said neither noticed anything suspicious.
KSAT has asked DPS if it plans to investigate what happened, but has yet to hear back.
State Rep. Don McLaughlin, the former mayor of Uvalde, has offered a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the vandalism.
The reward, “has generated buzz within our community,” Delgado told KSAT in a statement on Friday.
“We have had multiple calls with information, and UPD Investigators are on top of each lead,” he said.
Read more: