Texas Elementary School Shooting Leaves 21 Dead
A Texas shooting inside Robb Elementary School has left 19 children and 2 teachers dead, as the nation grieves.
Students, parents, families, and citizens across the nation are mourning the senseless acts that led to the deadliest school shooting since the tragedy that occurred at the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting a decade ago. The Texas shooting occurred yesterday inside the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. It claimed the lives of 19 children and two teachers and leaves America grieving once again during a period of unrest.
As authorities work around the clock, many details are still left unanswered in the wake of the Texas shooting. What is known, according to reports from CNN, is that all 21 of the lives taken occurred inside one classroom within the elementary campus. Police have said that the 18-year-old gunman barricaded himself inside the classroom, where he opened fire, killing 19 children and 2 teachers. Other injuries are said to have occurred inside the classroom, but the extent is still unknown.
As the Texas shooting was taking place, officers were rapidly making their way around the school grounds, gaining entry into classrooms by any means possible to safely evacuate the children and staff sheltering in place. They were able to forcefully gain entry into the barricaded classroom where the gunman was located. NBC News is reporting that authorities killed the shooter at the scene.
The gunman allegedly shot his grandmother yesterday before the Texas elementary shooting. She is alive and in the hospital. But that wasn’t the only prior incident that happened that day. According to reports from Fox, he also crashed his vehicle near the Robb elementary school. Reports are suggesting that when he fled the crash scene, he was witnessed in tactical gear that is typically worn by SWAT teams. He also may have been seen carrying the rifle he is said to have carried out the mass shooting with. It is unknown at this time for sure if it was the only weapon he had on him, as some sites are reporting it was while others say there may have been more.
It appears that the gunman was a member of the local community. According to statements made by Lt. Chris Olivarez of the Texas Department of Public Safety identified him as Salvador Rolando Ramos, and added that he attended one of the high schools nearby. Calling the Texas shooting perpetrator an “evil person”, he reportedly had no prior criminal record, and had no known friends or girlfriend that authorities could identify at this time.
While the community mourns, media outlets across America took the time to bring gun reform politics into the conversation following the Texas shooting. Democratic Sen. Roland Gutierrez made note that the Texas shooting gunman had recently purchased two semiautomatic rifles at a local gun store. When addressing the nation from the White House, President Biden took the opportunity to call for massive gun reform. And on the other spectrum, Fox News guests like Buck Sexton said these types of outcries are holding “hurting the situation,” calling for more focus on the mental illness role that might have been at hand.
Politics, gun reform, and all semantics aside, another American community is forever changed in the wake of this heinous Texas shooting. It follows a long, and sadly uniquely American history of mass school shootings throughout the nation. One thing is for sure throughout all of this, and that is just how important it is for families to show their children and loved ones just how much they care, as tomorrow is never promised.
