LUBBOCK, Texas — Texas Tech University sent an email to more than 1,100 of their students on Saturday who are from El Paso following the mass shooting. In the email, Dean of Students, Matthew Gregory offers his support.
Fourth year student, Elias Holguin is from El Paso. He said since the shooting happened, it’s all he can think about.
“I think most of the students I know that are from El Paso, that’s what we’ve been constantly been talking about,” Holguin said.
Gregory said the students affected are welcomed to seek counseling or call the Texas Tech Crisis Helpline.
“Often times, in those situations, we may not know what to do,” Gregory said. I know for me, I felt helpless.”
He said he and other Texas Tech administration came together and decided to send a letter on behalf of the university.
In the email sent to more than a thousand students, Gregory writes, “On behalf of the Administration, I want to express our collective sympathies to you and to the families of those affected by the tragedy in El Paso on August 3rd, 2019. Such senseless violence has and will affect us all.”
“Our intent was to let them know that we’re here and we’re here for them,” Gregory said.
After a difficult weekend, Holguin and fellow classmate Simone Rosson, also from El Paso, said they appreciate their school’s efforts.
“It’s now present time and it’s a big tragedy that’s affected us all and I think we need someone to talk to, especially if we were really affected by it,” Holguin said.
Rosson said the tragedy is a step in the wrong direction.
“We live in a time where we’ve regressed back to these racist beliefs but whatever he [the shooter] is trying to accomplish, I don’t think it’s going to work,” Rosson said.
The students agree the mass shooting in El Paso has affected them.
“My first reaction was to immediately call my family because we live right down the street from the mall and I knew this was something serious they needed to know,” Holguin said.
Both students said none of their families were harmed, but they are thinking of the victims.
“It’s home, it’s where I grew up, it’s where my family and friends live, it’s our hometown, so this definitely felt a little more personal,” Holguin said. “I have definitely been thinking about it constantly since it happened and I just–I’ve been praying.”
