→Watch the exclusive interview here.
Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin on Wednesday promised a memorial fund established to benefit victims and victims’ families impacted by last month’s school massacre will be properly monitored.
The vow from McLaughlin came amid mounting questions about the administration of the Robb School Memorial Fund, which he said has already surpassed $3.5 million and is expected to reach eight figures.
An official at First State Bank of Uvalde told a KSAT reporter earlier this month that the fund was being administered by McLaughlin, Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Hal Harrell and Uvalde County Judge William R. Mitchell.
Both Mitchell and McLaughlin have since distanced themselves from that claim.
“That is not accurate. We will not be the administrators of the account,” said McLaughlin, during a lengthy one-on-one interview with KSAT Wednesday afternoon.
McLaughlin said when the bank first set up the donation account it needed three names to put on it.
The mayor said an advisory committee is being finalized that will work alongside a national organization experienced with mass shooting memorial accounts to ultimately disburse the funds.
McLaughlin said including a GoFundMe account and money collected in the San Antonio area, funds for affected families have topped $5 million in all. That figure is expected to continue to rise in the coming months.
“Our hearts are broken. My heart is broken. I don’t think there’s a citizen in this community whose heart’s not broken. But one thing about this community, they always come together,” McLaughlin said.
Advisory committee will not include family members
McLaughlin said Wednesday the advisory committee will not include family members of children shot at Robb Elementary School on May 24.
He said people familiar with memorial accounts created after mass shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School and an Orlando nightclub advised against putting family members on the committee.
“I think the people on that committee will represent the families well,” McLaughlin said.
Harrell did not respond to multiple requests seeking comment for this story.