"I don't want it to happen again": Uvalde shooting survivor Miah Cerrillo testifies before Congress

Uvalde shooting survivor Miah Cerrillo testifies before Congress (Image via Getty Images)
Uvalde shooting survivor Miah Cerrillo testifies before Congress (Image via Getty Images)

Miah Cerrilo, an 11-year-old survivor of the May 24 Uvalde mass shooting, testified during a House Oversight and Reform Committee meeting held on Wednesday, June 8, to discuss gun violence.

Cerrilo recounted her harrowing experience to lawmakers through a pre-recorded video, describing how she survived the attack in which 19 students and 2 teachers were killed. USA Today reported that following the testimonies of various survivors, house lawmakers voted to raise the minimum age to buy semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21. In a poignant moment during her testimony, Cerillo pleaded with lawmakers, saying:

"I don't want it to happen again."

With a recent spate of mass shootings having taken place across New York, Oklahoma and Texas, the debate surrounding America’s lax gun laws has been more pertinent than ever. However, many Republicans oppose the proposed restrictions as they consider them contradictions to the constitution.


The testimony of an Uvalde survivor

Testimonies at the hearing included those from survivors and the parents of victims of the shootings in both Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York. Miah Cerrillo, a fourth-grade student at Robb elementary in Uvalde, spoke poignantly about what she had witnessed.

According to CBS, Cerrillo recounted how her class was watching a film when her teacher received an email about the presence of a shooter in the school. As the teacher went to the door, she made eye contact with the alleged gunman, Salvador Ramos.

Uvalde shooting survivor Miah Cerrillo during her testimony (Image via TheDailyBeast)
Uvalde shooting survivor Miah Cerrillo during her testimony (Image via TheDailyBeast)

Cerrillo said:

“When I went to the backpacks, he (the gunman) shot my friend that was next to me, and I thought he was going to come back to the room, so I grabbed a little blood and put it all over me. I got my teacher’s phone and called 911… I told her that we need help, and to send the police in our classroom.”

Miah's father, Miguel Cerrillo, cried as he urged lawmakers to confront the issue.

He said:

“I wish something would change, not only for our kids, but for every kid in the world, because our schools are not safe anything. Something really needs to change.”

Democratic Representative Carolyn Maloney was vocal in her support of the victims.

She said:

“My goal for today's hearing is simple. I am asking every Member of this Committee to listen with an open heart to the brave witnesses who have come forward to tell their stories about how gun violence has impacted their lives”

She continued:

“Let us hear their voices. Let us honor their courage. And let us find the same courage to pass common sense laws to protect our kids.”

While Democrat lawmakers are largely in favor of the change, the votes of 10 Republicans are required to pass the gun laws proposed by many former victims. BBC reported that the House of Representatives voted on Wednesday evening for what has been called the Protecting Our Kids Act. The act would create federal offenses for gun trafficking and raise the legal age to buy a semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21. It will also make it easier for authorities to confiscate guns from civilians who are considered potentially dangerous.