Texas School Shooting Update: 19 Students Confirmed Dead

Uvalde, Texas -- A teenage gunman opened fire in a Texas elementary school Tuesday, murdering 19 children and two adults before he was killed by law enforcement officers on the scene, according to authorities.

The shooter — identified by Texas officials as 18-year-old Uvalde resident Salvador Ramos — killed his grandmother with two military-style rifles, which he had purchased on his birthday, before the teen headed to Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, the Associated Press reported.

Ramos then crashed his vehicle near the school and started shooting at "children, teachers, whoever was in his way" shortly past 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

"He was shooting everybody," an official from Texas' Department of Public Safety (DPS) said.

Ramos' attack left 22 dead as of writing, including his grandmother, 19 children, one teacher identified as Eva Mireles and another school employee, ABC13 reported, citing the department.

Robb Elementary School currently teaches second-, third- and fourth-grade students, according to Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Police Chief Pedro Arredondo.

Police officers were able to kill Ramos after the gunman, who was wearing body armor, exchanged fire with law enforcement officials, a report by Reuters said.

Gunfire struck two officers, but their injuries were not serious, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said.

Ramos carried a handgun, an AR-15 rifle and high-capacity magazines, according to investigators.

The motive for Ramos' attack was unclear. Authorities believe he acted alone.

Ramos had previously hinted on social media of an upcoming attack, Sgt. Erick Estrada of the DPS said.

Investigators are now combing through Ramos’ social media, per ABC13. He reportedly sent videos and photos of guns to other users on multiple platforms.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has taken down an Instagram account possibly associated with Ramos, CNN reported.

The attack at Robb Elementary School marked the 27th school shooting that involved injuries or deaths in the country this year, according to a tracker maintained by Education Week.

It occurred 10 days after a shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, which resulted in the deaths of 10 people.

In response to Tuesday's shooting, President Joe Biden ordered flags to be flown at half-mast until sunset every day until Saturday "as a mark of respect for the victims."

Biden also renewed calls for stricter gun ownership laws during a national address. "Another massacre... I am sick and tired of it. We have to act. It's time to turn this pain into action for every parent, for every citizen of this country. We have to make it clear to every elected official in this country: it's time to act," he said.