Tragedy struck at 11:32 AM in Uvalde, Texas, when a mass shooting took place at Robb Elementary School. Here is an update on everything that has taken place since it occurred.
The shooting was carried out by 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, as stated by Texas Governor, Greg Abbott. The Governor stated that Ramos has abandoned a vehicle before entering the school and opening fire.
Law enforcement has given us further details on the shooter, releasing that he was carrying a handgun, an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, and several high-capacity magazines when he entered elementary school. It was also stated that Ramos was wearing body armor throughout the attack. It is believed at this time that Ramos was a high-schooler in that area and that he fatally shot his grandmother just before leaving to carry out this shooting.
This shooting is the deadliest school shooting the country has seen in a decade, and is the second deadliest in the country’s history, just behind Sandy Hook. 19 children have been confirmed dead at the time of writing, along with two adults. Many others were brought to the hospital, and several remain in critical condition at this time, including a 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl. It was released Wednesday by state Public safety that all killed were located in one classroom. Several members of law enforcement were also injured while attempting to put an end to the attack, including one border patrol agent who was shot in the head. However, there have been no law enforcement fatalities reported, with the border patrol agent reportedly being in stable condition. The shooter was eventually gunned down by law enforcement and was confirmed dead by several sources, including Governor Abbott and members of law enforcement.
This shooting is another example of a growing number of mass shootings throughout the country. Just ten days earlier, an 18-year-old opened fire at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. The shooter in that incident also carried an AR-15 and was wearing body armor during the attack. Ten people were killed in that shooting.
Data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that shootings have become the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in the United States as of 2020. The previous number one was car crashes. An FBI report released Monday also showed that active shooter incidents have increased by more than 50% since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and have risen over 96% since 2017.
This has left lawmakers scrambling to find an answer to end all of the violence. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy begged his colleagues to help in passing what are known as common-sense gun control laws on the Senate floor Tuesday evening. Texas Senator Ted Cruz stated, “Today is a dark day. We’re all completely sickened and heartbroken.” However, Senator Cruz has bashed the idea of implementing heavier restrictions on firearms, stating that putting more restrictions on law-abiding citizens would not prevent or reduce crime across the country.
President Biden also gave remarks addressing the shooting upon returning to the White House after his trip to Asia. In those remarks, he called on Americans and lawmakers to stand up against gun manufacturers and lobbyists, saying, “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 know needs to be done… Don’t tell me we can’t have an impact on this carnage.” The President also ordered the flags at the White House to be flown at half staff.
