Texas shooting survivor says her stepbrother, who died in the massacre, wanted to be a police officer when he grew up
Nine-year-old Andrea Herrera, a survivor of Tuesday's mass school shooting, said her stepbrother Jose Flores wanted to be a police officer when he grew up.
"He would always say, 'I want to be a cop so I can protect all these other people from the bad guys,'" Andrea Herrera told CBS News, adding that she's "sad because … he wanted to be a cop and he didn't have the chance to be it."
Flores, 10, was among the 21 victims in Tuesday's school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
Andrea Herrera saw her own teacher get shot during the massacre. She was in a nearby classroom when the gunman burst in and barricaded himself inside Flores' classroom.
"I was just worried thinking about him," she said.
Cynthia Herrera and her husband frantically searched for their children upon arriving at Robb Elementary School. They found their daughter safe at one of the meeting points, but later found out their son was brought to the hospital, where he died.
Cynthia Herrera said she feels numb.
"I have no feelings, honestly. I just try to keep my mind occupied with the kids, you know? I just feel guilty even saying, like, I'm glad my daughter made it because I know my stepson didn't," she told CBS News.
While most children look forward to summer break, Andrea Herrera will be learning to live with grief and dread.
"To be honest, I'm actually kind of nervous," she said of eventually going back to school. "Because I'm scared that it just might happen again, and I feel like I'm just wondering what if it happens again, and who will be next."