Texas attorney Thomas J. Henry represents families of 4 students injured in Uvalde school shooting
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Texas attorney Thomas J. Henry is representing the families of four students injured in the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting at Robb Elementary.
All four of the children suffered gunshot wounds and other injuries in the mass shooting. The victims represented by Thomas J. Henry are all 9- or 10-years-old.
According to the lawsuit, one student was shot in the leg, one was shot in the shoulder, one was shot in the face and one was shot in the back, leg and shoulder. Some of them have undergone multiple surgeries.
"The acts of violence they experienced and the physical injuries they received were the direct cause of the intentional and senseless acts of Ramos facilitated by the actions and failures of others," the lawsuit states.
As part of the lawsuit, Thomas J. Henry and his team are investigating the facts surrounding the school shooting, including:
- How the gunman purchased the guns and ammunition used
- How he was able to obtain entry to the school
- The response by law enforcement.
The firm is also examining questions about the gunman’s, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, past, including potential red flags or threats of violence that may have been posted to social media, or communicated directly to others, but not properly reported to law enforcement.
The original petition was filed against the gunman’s estate, however, the team is exploring all available legal actions against all responsible parties for possible constitutional rights violations, gun law violations, and violations of laws, policies, and procedures pertaining to school safety.
In a conference held on Friday, May 27, Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety Col. Steven McCraw stated the delay was due to the on-site commander determining the situation to be one of a barricaded individual rather than an active shooter. The classroom was eventually accessed using a key.
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Thomas J. Henry and his clients want to understand why this tragedy was possible and how institutions and private companies could have prevented it.
"The one thing that is vital in our country right now is ensuring our children go to school and come home safe," added Thomas J. Henry. "We want to obtain justice for the families that have been devastated by this shooting and ensure we have swift changes that protect our children while they are at school."
The lawsuit asks for more than a million dollars in damages. However, the intended outcome goes beyond a dollar amount.
"In this civil lawsuit, we are able to subpoena and obtain evidence about what happened by each of the government entities, from law enforcement to schools to manufacturers - for instance - of the back door, to the gun manufacturer, to the process of acquiring and buying the gun and whether it was done properly, to gaming, to social media - the whole gamut," said Henry.
You can read the full lawsuit below:
Only days before the end of the school year, a mass shooting devastated the community of Uvalde in south Texas. A total of 21 people were killed, including 19 children and two teachers.
The Texas Department of Public Safety said 18-year-old Salvador Ramos first shot his grandmother, who was hospitalized in serious condition. He later crashed his truck outside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde before entering the school in body armor and opening fire with a rifle.
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Thomas J. Henry also represents several victims of the mass shooting at Sutherland Springs First Baptist Church on November 5, 2017. In February 2022, a U.S. Federal Judge returned a $230,000,000 verdict against the United States government for its role in that shooting.
Henry said the outcomes in both Sutherland and Uvalde point to a need for change and accountability.
"When we look at the whole landscape of the Uvalde suit, other shootings, what government officials are doing and not doing, we need Uvalde to really hit home," he said. "We have to have policy changes."