Texas School Shooting: At Least 19 Children, 2 Teachers Dead After Teen Gunman's Rampage
An 18-year-old gunman in Uvalde, Texas, killed at least 19 elementary school students and two teachers Tuesday afternoon in the deadliest school shooting in the state's history.
The suspected shooter, who was identified as Salvador Ramos, was killed by a responding border patrol agent. He had a handgun and possibly a rifle and was wearing body armor. The gunman also allegedly killed his grandmother earlier in the day.
The gunman, who reportedly was a student at a nearby high school, opened fire at Robb Elementary School at 12:17 p.m. local time, Gov. Greg Abbott said at a news conference. The students who were shot were ages 7-10. There was no immediate word on the number of injured.
Uvalde, which has a population of about 16,000, is located about 85 miles southwest of San Antonio. The small border community is mostly Hispanic.
Robb Elementary had around 535 students in the 2020-21 school year, according to state data. The school district said that all activities will be canceled. Thursday was meant to be the last day of the school year at Robb Elementary.
Police have not provided any details about a motive.
“Texans are grieving for the victims of this senseless crime & for the community of Uvalde. Cecilia & I mourn this horrific loss & urge all Texans to come together. I've instructed @TxDPS & Texas Rangers to work with local law enforcement to fully investigate this crime,” Abbott posted in a tweet.
President Joe Biden ordered that flags on federal buildings be lowered “as a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on May 24, 2022, by a gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.”
In 2018, eight students and two teachers were fatally shot at Santa Fe High School in the Houston area.
The latest shooting is the deadliest for a grade school since the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., addressed the shooting in Uvalde on the Senate floor.
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