UPDATE: The death toll has now risen from 14 children to 19 children and 2 teachers in the Texas shooting. For a total of 21 people killed in the shooting.
EARLIER STORY:
Texans are grieving for the victims of this senseless crime & for the community of Uvalde.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 24, 2022
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. pic.twitter.com/Yjwi8tDT1v
It was the deadliest shooting at a U.S. grade school since the shocking attack in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, almost a decade ago.
The gunman entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde with a handgun and possibly a rifle, Abbott said. Officials have not revealed a motive for the shooting, but said the shooter was a resident of the community that’s about 85 miles (135 kilometers) west of San Antonio.
Abbott said the shooter was likely killed by responding officers but that the events were still being investigated. Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Chief of Police Pete Arredondo said at a news conference that the gunman acted alone.
It was the deadliest school shooting in Texas history and occurred four years after a gunman fatally shot 10 people at Santa Fe High School in the Houston area.
”He shot and killed, horrifically, incomprehensibly, 14 students and killed a teacher,” said the governor, adding that two officers were shot and wounded but were expected to survive.
It was not immediately clear how many people, in addition to the dead, were wounded, but Arredondo said there were “several injuries.” Earlier, Uvalde Memorial Hospital said 13 children were taken there. Another hospital reported a 66-year-old woman was in critical condition.
Robb Elementary School has an enrollment of just under 600 students, and Arredondo said it serves students in the second, third and fourth grade. He did not provide ages of the children who were shot.
A heavy police presence surrounded the school Tuesday afternoon, with officers in heavy vests diverting traffic and FBI agents coming and going from the building.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden has been briefed on the school shooting on Air Force One as he returns from a five-day trip to Asia and would continue to receive updates. Jean-Pierre said Biden will deliver remarks Tuesday evening at the White House.
"What are we doing? There were more mass shootings than days in the year. Our kids are living in fear."
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 24, 2022
Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy pleaded with his colleagues to act after the mass shooting at a Texas elementary school. https://t.co/96dM0v77Np pic.twitter.com/P6EMZu4t4c
President Joe Biden has directed that American flags be flown at half-staff through sunset Saturday in honor of the victims of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 24, 2022
Biden will address the nation at 8:15 p.m. EDT. https://t.co/LtEKSm0Ngy pic.twitter.com/sjqRMGqagv
Uvalde is home to about 16,000 people and is the seat of government for Uvalde County. The town is about 75 miles (120 kilometers) from the border with Mexico. Robb Elementary is in a mostly residential neighborhood of modest homes. There is a funeral home across the street from the school.
The shooting in Texas came less than two weeks after a gunman opened fire at a supermarket in Buffalo , New York, killing 10 Black shoppers and workers in what officials have described as a hate crime.
Photo courtesy of IANS.
