At least 19 children and two adults were killed on Tuesday after a shooting at Uvalde elementary school, Texas, authorities said.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the suspect had also died, adding that law enforcement officers shot and killed the 18-year-old shooter.
President Joe Biden ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at the White House, military posts, naval vessels and US embassies as a “mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence.”
“I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, May 28, 2022. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.”
Biden, who had just returned from a trip to Asia, delivered an emotional address on Tuesday.
He said he got the news while on his 17-hour flight back to Washington, when “it struck” him that “these kind of mass shootings rarely happen anywhere else in the world. Why?”
“As a nation, we have to ask when in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby?” he said, as Congress has repeatedly failed to pass gun control legislation. The blocking of such bills is largely attributed to pressure from the powerful National Rifle Association lobby.
“It is time to turn this pain into action,” Biden said.
President Biden said on Wednesday that he and first lady Jill Biden will travel to Texas in the coming days to meet families of the young shooting victims killed at an elementary school.
“Jill and I will be traveling to Texas in the coming days to meet with the families and let them know we have a sense of their pain, and hopefully bring some little comfort to a community in shock, in grief and in trauma,” President Biden said at the White House.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Wednesday provided an update on the state’s ongoing response to yesterday’s shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.
“All Texans have been shaken to their core in the wake of the horrific tragedy that occurred yesterday in the close-knit community of Uvalde,” said Governor Abbott. “We must come together in support of the families of the innocent victims, the law enforcement officers who heroically responded, and the entire Uvalde community, which will be impacted by this senseless act of violence for generations to come. As the investigation by state and local authorities continues, it is our duty as elected officials to evaluate all possible means of making our schools safer to prevent future tragedies and ensure communities across the state—whether they are underserved populations within large cities or rural areas of the state—have the mental health resources needed. The State of Texas continues working to better protect and serve all Texans, young and old.”
Governor Abbott implored all members of the Uvalde community – victims, families, family members, friends, and law enforcement – to use available mental and emotional health resources as they begin to navigate the weight of this tragedy.
The Governor added the ongoing investigation is being led by DPS Texas Rangers and the Uvalde Police Department and supported by DPS Highway Patrol and Criminal Investigation, DPS Aircraft and Intelligence, and DPS Crime and Victim Support. Additionally, the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol, San Antonio Police Department, San Antonio Fire Department, and other local law officials are also providing resources in support of the investigation.
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