A teenage gunman identified as Salvador Ramos- an 18-year-old local resident and a US citizen killed at least 19 young children and two teachers at an elementary school in Texas on Tuesday.
President Joe Biden in reaction to the incident denounced the US gun lobby and vow to end the nation’s cycle of mass shootings.
He said, “It’s time to turn this pain into action for every parent, for every citizen of this country.
“It’s time for those who obstruct or delay or block common-sense gun laws we need to let you know that we will not forget.
“As a nation, we have to ask when in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? When in God’s name will we do what we all know in our gut needs to be done?”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott who named the suspect while addressing an earlier news conference said, “He shot and killed, horrifically and incomprehensibly.”
Texas Department of Public Safety officials said the gunman is believed to have shot his grandmother before heading to Robb Elementary School around noon where he abandoned his vehicle and entered with a handgun and a rifle, wearing body armor.
According to officials, the gunman was killed by responding officers. DPS spokesman Lieutenant Chris Olivarez said that, “Right now there are 19 children that were killed by this evil gunman, as well as two teachers from this school.
“More than a dozen children were also wounded in the attack at the school.”
Uvalde Memorial Hospital via Facebook said it had received 13 children while University Health hospital in San Antonio said on Twitter that it received a 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl, both in critical condition, and two other girls aged nine and 10.
The Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Marsha Espinosa tweeted that at least one Border Patrol agent was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with the gunman.
The attack in Uvalde- a small community about an hour from the Mexican border is the deadliest shooting incident since the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting in Connecticut, in which 20 children and six staff were killed.
