Uvalde's Darkest Hour

by Craig Garnett

When the police scanner announced an active shooter at Robb Elementary on May 24, 2022, Uvalde Leader-News staff writers held their collective breath. In those confusing and terrifying moments, these journalists embarked on coverage that no community newspaper should ever have to undertake. Among that five-person staff was Kimberly Rubio, whose 10-year-old daughter Lexi was killed in her classroom along with 18 classmates and two teachers. The trauma of that loss and the second tragedy—the 77 minutes that law enforcement waited to rescue children from an 18-year-old mass murderer—shattered faith in the community’s most trusted institutions. Craig Garnett, owner and publisher of the Uvalde Leader-News, has compiled first-hand accounts that follow the community’s halting steps toward healing and Kimberly Rubio’s simultaneous plunge into activism.

This chilling story, told with both clear-eyed journalistic integrity and gripping emotional intensity, chronicles the horrific chain of events, introduces readers to the principal actors, and relates the aftermath as the community tries to heal, to make sense of the incomprehensible, and to seek meaningful change on the local and state level. As readers follow this journey, there will be moments when the sheer tragedy may cause them to put the book aside. But the people whose lives are revealed here have no such luxury. This is their story.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime

232 pages, Hardcover

Published December 3, 2024

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Headlines, TV clips and tweets led me to believe I knew what happened in Uvalde’s Robb Elementary school shooting back in 2022. This book taught me I didn’t know anything at all; the story is far deeper than any quick survey could hope to convey.

In Uvalde’s Darkest Hour, Craig Garnett wrote a heartrending book devoid of sensationalism or melodrama. His straightforward and thorough reporting of just about every conceivable angle on the 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary is enough — the facts, the documents, the interviews alone paint a devastating and damning picture of how much it can hurt when our institutions fail us. No amount of editorializing, no opinions from the soapbox could be more persuasive than this, an extraordinary and comprehensive work of journalism. A story full of surprising truths that will shock you not in spite of their banality, but maybe just because of it.

[Coraline Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking and frustrating to read.

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given the subject matter, it feels inappropriate to rate this book at all - but without it having very many ratings yet, I hope it gains more recognition and has plenty of momentum for others to read it and tell people about it. It is one of the most upsetting books I have ever read, but it is incredible reporting from a man that is a journalist in Uvalde and has lived through the devastation in their community (among which is one of his beloved colleagues, Kimberly Mata Rubio - who lost her daughter Lexi that day). I had no idea how grossly mishandled the entire tragedy was. In his own words summarizing the Department of Justice’s report on the investigation, “the harm caused by law enforcement was unimaginable, but so was the damage caused by ongoing obfuscation, deceit, and betrayal on the part of local and state officials.” The deplorable response from Abbott in the aftermath, the continued worship of weapons over children in our country, and how much (if not all) that could have been prevented with the help of common sense gun reform leaves me sick to my stomach, and more resolved than ever to make sure I’m electing officials that would never proudly wear an assault rifle pin on their chest. I’m in awe of the survivors of Uvalde, and the way they have fought to go on after all of this and keep the memories of their loved ones bright in the community.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey, hi, hello. I don't review much here anymore since I got my Storygraph account, but I wanted to come leave a review for this book because I think more people should read it.

It's a heartbreaking and enraging read, but still has truly hopeful and loving moments. The reporting here is excellent, the writing engaging, and the story absolutely horrifying. Definitely worth a read if you found value in Full Body Burden: Growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow of Rocky Flats or Final Salute: A Story of Unfinished Lives. Avoid if you're not in the headspace for truly gut-wrenching loss. Even so, it was such a well written book, I highly recommend it. It's not an easy read, but it is an important one, and I couldn't put it down once I started.

If you are interested in learning more about mass shootings in the United States, The Washington Post did some reporting that includes images, videos, and first person accounts of violence committed with similar weapons to those used in Uvalde. It also includes pictures from the school in the aftermath. It's a horrifying piece, and not for everyone, but I found it eye-opening and grounding, providing additional context for something I can only hope I never live through. I think they've waived their paywall for the piece, Terror on Repeat, which you can see here. If you do click through, the page has a photo behind the text right at the top of a gun and blood on the ground, so know that you may not want to click through at all if you don't want to experience any visuals.

Anyway. I don't know what else to say. I think this book is really important, I guess.

[Sue Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the midst of unspeakable tragedy and trauma, Craig Garrett and his staff at the Uvalde Leader-News have skillfully reported on the school shooting at Robb Elementary on May 24, 2022 and its aftermath. Their intimate knowledge of the community, victims, survivors and their families, and local and state authorities, contributed to a deeper understanding of the grief and heartache suffered by so many. I continue to shake my head at why progress is so slow in legislating more sensible gun laws and this exceptional book only helped reinforce that position. Thank you to Craig and all those fighting this fight for strengthening my resolve in moving forward.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really appreciated how raw this book is. It paints a powerful and heartbreaking picture of the sadness in the city, the devastation of the parents and families affected, and how poorly the situation was handled by the police, both on the day of the incident and throughout the investigation.

There were several times I had to stop reading just to wipe away tears.

I hope stories like this help lawmakers, and those who continue to oppose stronger gun laws, see how badly they’re failing not only communities, but children. As for the shooter, the system failed him too.

[D'Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sadly perfect counter to the argument that the only thing that stops a bad person with a gun is a good person with a gun. In this case, hundreds of supposedly good people stood around for over an hour while children were trapped inside their classroom with a murderer. Even after reading this book, I still can't fully comprehend it. One of the most horrific moments in recent history and nothing substantially changed as a result. This country values guns over children and that is deeply sick.

[Andrew Czajka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Equal parts memorial to the lives and memories of the childen and adults who lost their lives, and a moment to moment coverage of the events before and after the deadly shooting. At times, it it can be too difficult to read not because of any fault of the author but because of the subject matter. A particular description suprised me in how it effected me. I think it is a tasteful retelling and coverage of the events on May 24, 2022.

[Chad Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please do yourself a favor and sit down, shut up, read this book, and then hug your loved ones.

I'm not one to sit down and write reviews often, but I felt in this case it was warranted. This book is a masterfully crafted glimpse into true horror. As someone who was fairly ignorant of the Uvalde massacre, Craig Garnett painted the scene so vividly I could feel the same pain and grief those poor parents felt. Uvalde's Darkest Hour is hands down the best true crime book I've ever read. +

[Peejay(Pamela) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moment by moment descriptions of the May 24, 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. Heartrending, detailed reporting from the first 911 calls to the never ending funerals to the US DOJ investigation.

[Becca G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moving book that is written by a local that allows you to see how the community responded to the shooting and how it impacted them. Is emotional at points that you find yourself feeling overwhelmed with what the victims and survivors had to go through both during and after.

[Megan Doney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required reading for every journalist--every police officer and police department--every educator--every lawmaker.
May we be forgiven for the ways we have failed hundreds of families. May the spirits of the dead rest in peace.

[Brett buckner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so sick of reading this type of book, as if the answers for making school shootings obsolete somehow lies within the wreckage of lives and families. This was written based on the reporting by the staff of Uvalde's small newspaper staff who knew the community and were victims themselves.

[Kelley Kimble · Rating 5 out of 5]

Craig is a dear friend and I can only imagine how difficult this was for him to write. Thank you, Craig. Words have failed so many of us.

[Marnie Lansdown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devastating. Disgusting. Horrifying. Infuriating. So incredibly sad.

[Savannah Lee Sailors · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uvalde’s Darkest Hour by Craig Garnett. 4⭐️.

truly truly disturbing and heartbreaking.

[Noah Linhart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Heartbreaking narrative. Frustrating agenda.

[Maximilian Leitner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking

[Nolan Stout · Rating 4 out of 5]

This seems to be the only comprehensive book on Uvalde and it’s good. Great perspective from a bunch of angles.

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 Stars

I am not surprised that so few ratings for this book exist. We do not want to face the unimaginable pain left in the wake of school shootings. And yet, our unwillingness to confront these mass trauma events only ensures their repetition.

This is bravura reporting that offers a rare and unflinching look at the impact of one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, not only on the families left bereft but also on the community as a whole and, to some extent, the staff of its local paper. It illuminates how system failures, self-interested politicians, and a lack of accountability can deepen and prolong trauma. It grapples with the ethical challenges local journalists face in reporting these events while managing their own vicarious trauma. It even examines the painful decisions involved in determining victim compensation.

Most importantly, it honors the children, whether murdered, injured, or left terrified, and the families who continue to carry this loss. Again and again, the students’ lives are placed front and center. “Uvalde’s Darkest Hour” stands as a profound chronicle that bears witness to the generational damage an enraged eighteen-year-old can inflict when given access to assault weapons and massive amounts of ammunition. Yet, like the murals that now fill the town square, the book also serves as a memorial and a testament.

[Kiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most difficult things I've ever read. To say this was a good book feels like the wrong thing to say because of how heavy the tragedy that unfolded at Uvalde was. I will say, this book did an excellent job at covering the story, the town's history, and follow up very well. I walked away with a new respect for local papers and small businesses, everything seems to be on a more personable level here. Having experienced trauma in my own life, I've learned that while a story may not be the most comfortable to hear, that makes it no less important in being told. For that reason, I purchased this book and give it 5 stars.