UVALDE, Texas (Fwrd Axis) — 19 students and two teachers were killed in a school shooting on Tuesday at a Texas elementary school, Gov. Greg Abbott said.
The suspect was an 18-year-old male shot dead by police and allegedly shot his grandmother before going into the school, killing 19 and injuring several others.
“He shot and killed horrifically and incomprehensibly 14 students and killed a teacher,” Abbott said.
Police have identified the shooter as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos. He had a handgun and also a rifle in his possession. Uvalde Memorial Hospital said 19 students were being treated and two others were transferred to San Antonio for treatment.
“When parents drop their kids off at school, they have every expectation to know that they’re going to be able to pick their child up when that school day ends. And there are families who are in mourning right now,” Abbott said. “The state of Texas is in mourning with them for the reality that these parents will not be able to pick up their children.”
University Health Hospital in San Antonio said two victims of the school shooting — a 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl were shot and in critical condition, the hospital confirmed to FWRD AXIS News. The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio said it has also received patients from the horrific shooting in Uvalde.
“It is believed that he abandoned his vehicle, then entered into the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde with a handgun, and he may have also had a rifle,” Abbott said.
Two people were pronounced dead before they arrived at the hospital, Tom Nordwick said. Their names and ages were not released.
The news comes following a shooting at a grocery store in New York, in which a gunman targeted Black people in a racist attack after learning of a conspiracy theory online that the minorities are looking to replace White people in America.
“Enough is enough. As a nation, we have to have the courage to take action and understand the nexus between what makes for reasonable and sensible public policy to ensure something like this never happens again,” Vice President Kamala Harris said during an event in Washington.
A gunman also targeted a church in California the next day, injuring several before being apprehended.
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the attack and will address the nation tonight, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Twitter.
“His prayers are with the families impacted by this awful event, and he will speak this evening when he arrives back at the White House,” she said.
Story updated with death toll count and additional information from the White House.
