It is one of the deadliest school massacres in US history. According to investigators, the shooter entered the school in the small town of Uvalde on Tuesday afternoon and shot himself. At least two adults, including a teacher, were also killed in the incident.
According to initial findings, the shooter was killed by security forces. There was initially conflicting information about the number of adults killed. Two police officers were also slightly injured in the operation. The alleged perpetrator is said to have previously shot his grandmother. The incident happened in the grandmother’s apartment – she was taken to a hospital. Nothing was initially known about their current condition on Wednesday morning.
“Cruel, unbelievable act”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott called it a “cruel and unbelievable” crime. In his first appearance, there was talk of 14 children who had died and a teacher who had been killed. Details on the exact background or possible motives were not initially available. Abbott’s Republican Party has been vehemently opposed to tightening gun laws in the United States for years.
Media reported that the suspect bought weapons – legally – on his 18th birthday. He is also said to have posted pictures of himself with guns on social media.
Uvalde is a small town of around 16,000 people about 100 kilometers from the border with Mexico. The elementary school teaches grades 2 through 4 and had 535 students last school year, according to government data, according to CNN. About 90 percent of the students are of Latin American origin and mostly come from working-class families. Thursday should be the last day of school before summer break. The current school year has now ended prematurely, officials said.
The school’s Facebook page still showed announcements of trips to the zoo or the children’s projects. Just last week, those responsible thanked the officials in the area. “A big thank you to the real heroes we call police officers,” it said.
Sagittarius probably acted alone
According to initial information, investigators assume that the shooter acted alone. “The suspect is dead,” said the police chief on Tuesday afternoon (local time) in the small town of Uvalde. It is a “heinous” crime. Investigators are still at the crime scene.
The broadcaster CNN reported that the shooter drove to the school and crashed his car. He then entered the building with a rifle and a pistol. He was wearing a backpack and a protective vest. He opened fire at school. The 18-year-old was then asked by the school’s security staff.
The University Medical Center in San Antonio tweeted that two casualties from the shooting had been admitted, a 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl. Both are in critical condition. Many other children and adults are also receiving medical treatment.
Biden calls for stricter gun laws
In an initial reaction, US President Joe Biden repeatedly called for stricter gun laws. “As a nation, we have to ask ourselves when in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby,” Biden said Tuesday night (local time) at the White House. “The idea that an 18-year-old guy can walk into a gun store and buy two assault rifles is just wrong.”
Shooting sprees, including in schools, occur with sad regularity in the United States. Last year, the FBI counted 61 gun shootings in the United States. The FBI announced on Monday evening (local time) in Washington that this was more than 50 percent more than in the previous year. The number has doubled since 2017. In 2021, 103 people were killed and 140 injured in rampages.
The level of gun violence overall is far greater in the United States. Fatal incidents involving firearms, which are readily available there, occur regularly. In its most recent statistics from 2020, the health authority CDC recorded a total of 45,222 gun deaths in the USA – more than 120 deaths per day.
Source: Nachrichten
