The nation grieves… again and again. Mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas

This is a developing story…

19 children and 2 adults have been killed. 4 girls, 9-10 years old are in critical condition, 2 adults are in critical condition. Other students injured. Several law enforcement members shot, but not life-threatening. The latest mass shooting at a school, this one an elementary school of 600 students in grades 2 through 4, in Uvalde, Texas, near San Antonio. The incident happened 2 days from end of school.

The shooter was identified as Salvador Ramos, an 18 year old from the local community, and a student at Uvalde High School. He was killed by a border guard, who had come to the school to assist the local police. Ramos shot his grandmother before going to the school. We learn that she has now survived, having thought to have died in early reports. The shooter possibly had a handgun and a rifle and was seen to be wearing body armor. “Kids be scared IRL” (in real life) was posted on his TikTok account and photos of guns (2 AR-15 style rifles) were posted on his Instagram account. Local investigators are saying he bought 2 guns, legally, on his 18th birthday. Investigations are expected to reveal many more red flags that went unnoticed or not acted upon.

Teams of Border Patrol agents, over 80 total, raced to the school, including 10 to 15 members of a SWAT-like tactical and counter-terrorism unit. According to the AP, “One Border Patrol agent who was working nearby when the shooting began rushed into the school without waiting for backup and shot and killed the gunman, who was behind a barricade, according to a law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about it. He was shot but able to walk out of the school”. Some area agents have children at the school. A number of the shooting victims are children of Customs and Border Patrol agents. Agents were said to be putting themselves between the shooter and the children. The first person to engage the shooter was a school SRO, who was immediately shot by the barricaded shooter.

Eva Morales, a 4th grade teacher was the first victim identified.

19 children – deceased

2 adults – deceased

4 girls, 9-10 years old – critical condition

2 adults – critical condition, including grandmother

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President Biden spoke to the country at approximately 8:30pm, calling for new gun restrictions. “When in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? When in God’s name do we do what we all know needs to be done?” Biden asked.

Several legislators, as well as Steve Kerr from the NBA called on the Senate to pass “common sense gun reform”.

Other programs needing attention include targeted violent prevention plans that would react to red flag incidents of individuals; responding to the growing mental health crisis among children in the US; and shoring up “soft-target” schools using unspent COVID funds. While some schools have had steps taken to make them more secure, most of the schools are high school or middle schools, leaving elementary schools without such protections.

Locally, some school districts are providing more security for schools in light of the incident. Officials are telling families not to be alarmed by increased police presence.

There have been 8 mass shootings in the US in 2022.