UVALDE, Texas — Khloe Torres, 10, survived the mass shooting at Robb Elementary. But, her best friend Amerie Jo Garza was one of the 19 children killed. A week later, Torres spoke to KENS 5 about what she recalled happening inside the classroom.
“She was the only big friend I had,” she said.
Torres is new to Uvalde. Her family just moved from Louisiana at Spring Break. However, she remembered the last moments with her best friend in class. On May 24, she said they were watching Lilo & Stitch.
“We were told we were going into lockdown,” Torres said. "My friend was saying this normal. Don’t be scared. Nothing is going to happen.”
Torres said the gunshots started. She along with the other students hid to try and survive.
“I was looking at the ground because I was scared,” she said.
The 4th grader said the gunman entered the classroom of Ms. Irma Garcia and Ms. Eva Mireles. The 10-year-old recounted what her teachers did.
“She ran over to us and sat down,” she said. "And started covering my friend. She started saying no. Because he said you will die. And he shot my friend with the phone, and he shot my teachers Ms. Garcia and Ms. Mireles.”
At one point, Torres said she was brave enough to turn off her friend’s phone.
“I didn’t want anyone else to get hurt,” the little girl said.
Torres survived. She was carried out of the classroom covered in blood. Her best friend Amerie Jo Garza is considered a hero because she is one of the students who called 911.
A week since the shooting, Torres went back to Robb Elementary. She wanted to pay respects to her classmates and her best friend.
“I would tell them I loved them,” she said. "And that I am going to miss them.”