News/Commentary

‘I don’t want them calling him a monster’: Father of Texas shooter draws anger with conflicting reaction

May 27, 2022 | | Print Article

Uvalde mass shooter Salvador Ramos’ father, Salvador Ramos Sr., is being criticized for giving the impression that he’s upset over his son’s actions but then turning around and defending his son and trying to blame said actions on the son’s mother (Ramos Sr.’s ex-wife) and on COVID.

Ramos Sr. initially said in an interview with The Daily Beast that his son “should have just killed” him instead of the 19 children and two teachers he murdered during the tragedy Tuesday at Robb Elementary School.

“I just want the people to know I’m sorry man, [for] what my son did. I never expected my son to do something like that. He should’ve just killed me, you know, instead of doing something like that to someone,” he said.

But the tenor of his thoughts switched up very quickly when he began speaking about how he’d learned of the shooting.

According to The Daily Beast, he was at work this Tuesday when his own mother called him to let him know what had happened.

“In a panic, he started calling the local jail, asking them if his son was there. Eventually the realization sunk in,” according to the left-wing outlet.

“They killed my baby man. I’m never gonna see my son again, just like they’re not gonna see their kids. And that hurts me,” Salvador Sr. said.

In addition to mourning the loss of his son, who was killed by the police, he also claimed that Ramos had been “a good person” who “stuck to himself.”

“I don’t want them calling him a monster. … They don’t know nothing, man. They don’t know anything he was going through,” he said.

This defense of his son wasn’t well met on social media (*Language warning):

The Daily Beast reportedly spoke with Ramos outside his girlfriend’s home. He’s been living there several years, as he and Ramos’ mother are apparently divorced.

Regarding Ramos’ mother, Ramos Sr. said his son had had a poor relationship with her that had culminated with him dropping out of high school before his graduation this year.

According to The Daily Beast, he “faulted the boy’s mother, Adriana Reyes, for not buying him more school supplies and clothes,” saying that “his son was bullied at school for wearing the same high-water jeans every day, and that this was the reason he ultimately dropped out.”

This attack on Ramos’ mother also provoked backlash:

Ramos Sr. had little to say about his potential own culpability.

“For his own part, the father has a lengthy criminal record which includes at least one conviction for assault and causing bodily injury to a family member. He said he was currently estranged from his daughter—the gunman’s sister—who he said was … upset with him for not spending enough time with the family,” according to The Daily Beast.

“[Ramos’] father admitted he had not spent much time with him lately because he was employed outside Uvalde—he digs holes around utility poles for inspection—and because of the pandemic. His own mother was suffering from cancer, Ramos said, and he could not risk being exposed to the coronavirus. He added that his son grew frustrated with the COVID precautions about a month ago and refused to speak to him. Ramos has not seen him since.”

Notice the attempt to blame “COVID precautions.”

This too annoyed members of the public.

This claim especially annoyed members of the public because it appeared to contradict something else he’d siad.

“Ramos [Sr.] said his son frequently complained about his maternal grandmother, who was in the hospital recovering from her injuries this week. He said he offered to let his son move in with his own parents, but that the teenager declined, citing the lack of WiFi,” according to The Daily Beast.

But didn’t he just say that he was avoiding his son out of fear that he’d contract COVID and give it to his own mother, i.e., Ramos’ paternal grandmother?

Vivek Saxena
Latest posts by Vivek Saxena (see all)

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Latest Articles