A vigil has taken place to remember a teenager who was killed in the El Paso mass shooting which left 22 dead.

Javier Rodriguez, 15, was with his uncle Octavio Lizarde when the gunman opened fire in a Walmart on Saturday.

Mr Rodriguez was in his second-year at Horizon High School just outside El Paso, Texas, before his death.

The vigil took place at the high school’s football stadium where 22 doves were released in memory of those killed at the weekend.

Relatives of Mr Rodriguez released a dove in his memory and a choir sang the US national anthem and Earth Song by Frank Ticheli.

High school friends and Mr Rodriguez’s soccer coach paid tribute to the teenager before Democrat politician Beto O’Rourke, who was born in El Paso, spoke to those who had gathered.

Mr O’Rourke, who is seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, said: “In the face of intolerance, hatred and violence, this community is coming together and displaying an extraordinary strength.”

He added: “Please understand that this violence will not define this community, nor will it define the Rodriguez family.

“Instead it is the love that you are showing right now, the love that all of us, the energy and the strength, that we are sending to you, that we will forever be known by.

“We will speak forever of Javier with pride and gratitude and love.”

The teenager’s uncle Mr Lizarde was shot in the foot during Saturday’s attack and remains in hospital.

He said: “All of a sudden I see people running and I hear gunshots.

“And I just told him, ‘Amir, duck!’ And he just shot him.”

In an interview from his hospital bed, Mr Lizarde said that he couldn’t stop thinking about his nephew.

He added: “He was like my son, my best friend.”

Mr Lizarde continued: “Physically I’m recovering, but mentally it’s stressful.

“It hurts.”

Suspect Patrick Crusius, 21, was arrested after the mass shooting in El Paso on Saturday.

He could face the death penalty if convicted over the massacre, where police first received reports of gunfire at 10.39am local time (4.39pm BST).

Several hours later, a gunman shot dead nine outside a bar in Dayton, Ohio, before being killed by police within a minute.

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