Death toll in Uvalde Texas elementary school shooting rises
Authorities say 19 children, 2 adults have now died dozens more injured including 2 responding officers
Image Courtesy: Marco Bello/Reuters
People react outside the Staff Sgt Willie de Leon Civic Center, where students had been transported from Robb Elementary School after a shooting, in Uvalde, Texas, May 24, 2022. Marco Bello/Reuters
(ABC News) — At least 19 children and two adults are dead after a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The 18-year-old suspect, a student at Uvalde High School, is also dead, Gov. Greg Abbott said.
Abbott said the suspect “shot and killed horrifically and incomprehensibly” more than a dozen students and a teacher.
The suspect also allegedly shot and killed his grandmother before entering the school and again opening fire.
The shooter was identified by law enforcement sources and the governor as Salvador Ramos. Authorities have recovered an AR-15-style rifle and numerous magazines, multiple law enforcement sources told ABC News.
Image: Suspected Shooter obtained by ABC News
Image:Law enforcement shared this photo of 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, a student at Uvalde High School, who has been identified as the alleged gunman in the Robb Elementary School shooting on May 24, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas.
“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 are not going to be able to pick up their children.”
Two responding police officers were among those injured, Abbott said. They are expected to survive, he said.
Uvalde Memorial Hospital had said 15 students were being treated in the hospital’s emergency department in the wake of the incident. Two patients were transferred to San Antonio for treatment, while a third was pending transfer, the hospital said. A 45-year-old was also hospitalized after getting grazed by a bullet, the hospital said.
University Health in San Antonio said it had two patients from the shooting incident — a 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl — both in critical condition.
Two adult victims of the shooting, both in critical condition, are also being treated at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, according to an Army official.
A number of the shooting victims are children of Customs and Border Patrol agents, law enforcement sources told ABC News.
Image: Dario Lopez-Mills/ AP
Police walk near Robb Elementary School following a shooting, May 24, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas. Dario Lopez-mills/AP
Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin did not confirm casualties, but told ABC News in a text message that “this is a very bad situation.” He said the office is trying to contact parents before releasing any information.
Earlier, the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District had said a shooter was located at Robb Elementary School and asked people to stay away from the area.
“There is an active shooter at Robb Elementary,” the school district said on Twitter. “Law enforcement is on site. Your cooperation is needed at this time by not visiting the campus. As soon as more information is gathered it will be shared.”
A school official initially told ABC News that the shooting took place off campus, and that Robb Elementary School was under lockdown.
Image: Google Earth
Map of Robb Elementary School Shooting, Uvalde Texas ABC News / Map tiles by Google Earth
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and San Antonio Police Department are sending aid, and the FBI is responding.
The National Counterterrorism Operations Center believes there is “no known terrorism nexus” at this time, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by ABC News.
ABC News’ Pierre Thomas, Luke Barr, Aaron Katersky, Nicholas Kerr and Mireya Villarreal contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
