An 18-year-old shot and killed 19 students and two adults at an elementary school in Texas, US. Soon after the incident, the shooter was shot dead by responding officers. The incident shocked the country and the world, reigniting the debate over more restrictions on gun use in the US.
Tuesday’s mass shooting incident is the latest among a series of recent incidents and comes just a few days after a gunman opened fire on passersby at a Chicago localitykilling two people.
Cops outside the Texas school (Reuters)
Here’s what we know about the case so far:
1. An 18-year-old resident of Uvalde, identified as Salvador Ramos, believed to be armed with a handgun and a rifle, opened fire on Tuesday morning at children and staffers of Robb Elementary School in the city in Texas, US. At least 19 students and 2 adults were killed in the incident.
My daughter’s beautiful teacher was the teacher who was killed in Uvalde, TX. Eva (Ms Mireles) taught Gabby in elementary school. She was a beautiful person & dedicated teacher. She believed in Gabby & went above & beyond to teach her as you can see below. There are no words. pic.twitter.com/qMlVoVEUrY
— Audrey (@audreymg0928) May 24, 2022
Parents and locals console one another after the Texas tragedy. (Reuters)
2. Salvador Ramos allegedly shot his grandmother before going to Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.
Texas school shooter Salvador Ramos.
How was this not a red flag just four days ago! The stupidest things get banned from social media but this psycho SALVADOR RAMOS posts his murder weapons and nobody cares.
He is the Robb Elementary School Shooter in Uvalde Texas. RIP to all accept the killer pic.twitter.com/UXMMBEA38O— Egypt Thompson (@Egyptthompson) May 24, 2022
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3. Governor Greg Abbott of Texas said he would “fully investigate” the incident. “I have instructed the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Rangers to work with local law enforcement to fully investigate this crime. The Texas Division of Emergency Management is charged with providing local officials with all resources necessary to respond to this tragedy as the State of Texas works to ensure the community has what it needs to heal,” he said.
Sad update Families tell me they’re going one by one inside getting swabbed for DNA to help investigators pic.twitter.com/zTuWr873Gk
– Anayeli Ruiz KHOU (@AnayeliNews) May 25, 2022
4. Officials said that Salvador Ramos was shot dead by responding officers after the tragedy. They said that Ramos went to a high school in the same district.
The Texas school where 18 kids and three adults were shot dead on Tuesday. (AFP)
5. Two officers were injured in a brief exchange of fire with Salvador.
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6. US President Joe Biden made an emotional call for new restrictions on firearms. “When in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby?” Biden said at the White House shortly after returning from a five-day trip to Asia.
As a nation we must ask: When in God’s name will we stand up to the gun lobby?
When in God’s name will we do what needs to be done?
I’m sick and tired of it. We have to act.
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 25, 2022
7. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, however, explicitly ruled out new gun laws. “Our nation needs to take a serious look at the state of mental health today,” the Republican tweeted.
Our nation needs to take a serious look at the state of mental health today.
Sometimes meds can be the problem.
America is failing our youngest generations from decades of rejecting good moral values and teachings.
We don’t need more gun control.
We need to return to God.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) May 24, 2022
People hug each other for support after the Texas school shooting. (AFP)
8. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticised the Republicans for their continued opposition to gun control despite back-to-back mass shootings in the US.
There is no such thing as being “pro-life” while supporting laws that let children be shot in their schools, elders in grocery stores, worshippers in their houses of faith, survivors by abusers, or anyone in a crowded place.
It is an idolatry of violence. And it must end.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 24, 2022
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9. Former President Barack Obama released a statement on Twitter on Tuesday night, calling for action to prevent further gun violence. “Across the country, parents are putting their children to bed, reading stories, singing lullabies — and in the back of their minds, they’re worried about what might happen tomorrow after they drop their kids off at school, or take them to a grocery store or any other public space. It’s long past time for action, any kind of action,” he said.
10. US Vice-President Kamala Harris called for policy changes to ensure such an incident never happens again. “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,” Harris said.
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