19 children, 2 teachers killed in Texas elementary school shooting
Tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde
UVALDE, Texas — A devastating school shooting in Uvalde left at least 19 children and two educators dead on Tuesday, as revealed by the Texas Department of Public Safety. The incident occurred at Robb Elementary School, located approximately 83 miles west of San Antonio. Governor Greg Abbott described the suspect as having likely used a handgun and a rifle before being fatally shot by officers during a confrontation.
Timeline of the Attack
The shooting was reported as a mass casualty event shortly after 11:30 a.m. According to Lt. Chris Olivarez of the Texas Department of Public Safety, the suspect first targeted his grandmother, who was hospitalized in critical condition, before driving to the school. After a suspected crash near the campus, he entered the building and began firing, according to officials.
“He started shooting every single person that was in front of him,” Olivarez stated during a press briefing at the scene.
Officers initially struggled to gain entry due to a sustained barrage of gunfire. Eventually, they broke windows to rescue students and staff. The suspect, identified as Salvador Rolando Ramos, 18, was described by Olivarez as an “evil person” who had attended one of the local high schools. He was unemployed and had no known friends or romantic relationships.
Victims and Their Stories
Among the fatalities were third-grade student Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10; fourth-graders Uziyah Garcia, Xavier Lopez, 10, and Amerie Jo Garza, 9. The two teachers, Eva Mireles and Irma Garcia, served for 17 and 23 years respectively before the attack. Mireles’ aunt, Lydia Martinez Delgado, expressed outrage over the violence, stating, “I’m furious that these shootings continue. These children are innocent. Rifles should not be easily available to all.”
State Senator Roland Gutierrez noted that the suspect purchased two semiautomatic rifles on his 18th birthday at a local gun store. However, it remains unclear if either weapon was used in the attack. The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed that the suspect was also killed during the incident.
Investigation and Response
Authorities, including FBI agents and U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel, are investigating the suspect’s motives and background. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has joined the effort. Meanwhile, families of the victims were being informed of the tragedy, with at least six individuals publicly identifying the deceased.
The incident echoes previous school shootings in the U.S., such as Columbine High School (1999), Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (2018), and Santa Fe High School (2018). It may resonate deeply with those affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary School attack in 2012, where a gunman killed 20 children and six adults.
Parents were in a state of panic, searching for children who had not responded. One mother, Maria Garcia, was among those desperately trying to locate her loved ones during the chaos.
