2 Texas funeral homes offer free services for Uvalde school shooting victims

UVALDE, Texas – Two Texas funeral homes are helping the families affected by the Uvalde school shooting by offering free funeral services for the victims.

Hillcrest Memorial Funeral Home and Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary, both located in Uvalde, made the announcement to help the families hours after the shooting.

“We have fought together as a community and we will pull together as one now in our time of need. Hillcrest will be assisting families with NO COST for funerals for all involved in today’s horrific events. Prayer for our small amazing town. #UvaldeStrong,” the funeral home said in a statement on Facebook.

As of Wednesday morning, 19 children and two adults have died after a gunman opened fire inside Uvalde’s Robb Elementary School.

The gunman, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, was killed on the scene by officials. He reportedly purchased two AR15-style rifles just days before Tuesday’s massacre. The event marks the deadliest school shooting at a U.S. grade-school since a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, almost a decade ago.

“For over 60 years, we have supported Uvalde and beyond. Today, our resolve is stronger than ever. We are here for the people of Uvalde and our professionals are currently at Robb Elementary assisting law enforcement. As the situation develops and we have the opportunity to assist our community, not one family will be charged for our services,” Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary said in a statement on Facebook.

Custom casket maker SoulShine Industruies also posted on Facebook that it’s going to Uvalde to help families with the caskets.

The company is known widely for making the custom ‘My Little Pony’ themed casket for Maleah Davis, the 4-year-old who was allegedly killed by her mother’s boyfriend in 2019.