Dr Liao treated a number of the survivors from the shooting
A surgeon in Texas has shared a powerful message in the aftermath of the horrific elementary school shooting in Uvalde.
On Tuesday morning, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos drove to Robb Elementary School in Uvalde with a rifle, where he opened fire on a classroom, killing 19 children and two teachers, before he was shot dead by police.
Director of paediatric trauma, Dr Lillian Liao is part of the San Antonio University Hospital’s trauma team, who helped treat some of those injured in the attack.
She told CBS News that she had already performed a number of surgeries on the survivors of the shooting, but that her team had actually “thought we would get more patients than we did.”
Dr Liao admitted it had been a “challenge to talk to the families, they were obviously in shock.”
She continued: “But sometimes I think in these situations, we need to stay positive and the fact that we have the opportunity to talk to these families, we’re grateful for that.
“That we had the opportunity to say: ‘Your child made it to the hospital alive and here’s the plan for the next 24 hours and then the 24 hours after that.’
“So my team is very grateful for that. I know I’m speaking but I’m speaking on behalf of the entire trauma team and that’s hundreds and thousands of people that you don’t see in front of the camera right now. They’re all working on all the patients as we speak.”
Dir. of pediatric trauma at a Texas hospital discusses caring for victims of the Uvalde shooting:
"The fact that we have the opportunity to talk to these families, we are grateful…we had the opportunity to say your child made it to the hospital alive," Dr. Lillian Liao says. pic.twitter.com/yXwiaSl7B4
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 25, 2022
Before travelling to the school, Ramos had shot his grandmother. He then sent a message on Facebook admitting to this, followed by a message which read: “I’m going to shoot an elementary school.”
He sent this just 15 minutes before opening fire on classrooms.
Ramos’ grandmother, 66, is said to be in a critical condition after being transported to hospital.
Related links:
- Husband of teacher killed in Texas school shooting dies after suffering heart attack
- Texas shooting: First responder learned of stepdaughter’s death while treating her best friend
- Moment parents beg police to stop Texas gunman as cops stood outside school during shooting
