Texas school shooting: Everything we know so far

Fourteen students and a teacher were shot dead in a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday, Governor Greg Abbott has announced.

A lone gunman is believed to have opened fire shortly before midday at Robb Elementary School and the school was immediately placed into lockdown.

Mr Abbott confirmed the shooter, who he named as Salvador Romas, an 18-year-old from Uvalde, had been killed.

What we know so far

Mr Abbott said there were unconfirmed reports that Romas had killed his grandmother before driving to the elementary school and abandoning his vehicle.

He then entered the school with a handgun and possibly a rifle, the Texas governor said.

“He shot and killed horrifically, incomprehensibly, 14 students and a teacher,” Mr Abbott said at a news briefing.

Initial reports from police stated that the suspect was taken into custody.

However, Mr Abbott said it appeared that responding officers shot and killed the gunman. Two appeared to have suffered non-life threatening injuries, Mr Abbott said.

School announce lockdown, warn public to stay away

Robb Elementary alerted parents to the presence of an active shooter at the school at 11.43am on Tuesday.

“Please know at this time Robb Elementary is under a Lockdown Status due to gunshots in the area,” school official Anne Marie Espinoza said in a post to the school’s Facebook page.

“The students and staff are safe in the building. The building is secure in a Lockdown Status. Your cooperation is needed at this time by not visiting the campus.”

Law enforcement quickly descended on the area, including local, state and federal agencies. Residents were urged to stay away from the area.

The Uvalde Police Department announced in a Facebook post just after 1pm that the “shooter is in police custody.” No other details about the shooter were immediately released.

Ms Espinoza provided an update at around 1.15pm to say the school was still in lockdown due to “gunshots in the area”.

A ‘mass casualty’ event

A police bus used for “mass casualty” events arrived at the Uvalde Memorial Hospital where two children were confirmed dead and numerous others, including at least one adult, are being treated for injuries following an active shooter situation.

Uvalde Memorial Hospital said in a statement just before 4pm that a total of 13 students had been transported to its emergency room in ambulances and buses.

At least one adult was also taken to hospital after the shooting. Two of the injured were transported to a nearby trauma centre for treatment.

Students were later taken to the Willie DeLeon Civic Center to be reunited with their parents once they had been accounted for.

“You will be notified to pick up students once all are accounted for,” the district told parents.

Where is Uvalde?

Uvalde is town of around 16,000 residents situated 130kms (80 miles) west of San Antonion.

Google Maps posted an “active shooter alert” soon after the shooting began.

The school district’s final day of the year is on Thursday.

School shootings on the rise

Statistics released by the FBI on Monday showed school shootings skyrocketed in 2021 compared to the previous year.

There were 61 active shooter incidents in the last calendar year, up by more than 50 per cent from 2020, the FBI said in a new report.

White House briefed on mass shooting

The White House said President Joe Biden had been briefed on the shooting on his way back from a trip to Asia.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has been received updates on the Uvalde shooting.

The DHS said that US Customs and Border Protection responded to the scene to provide support.

“DHS is actively coordinating with federal, state, and local partners, and will continue to provide the Department’s full support,” the department tweeted.

Senator Ted Cruz said he was in close contact with local officials.

“We are in close contact with local officials, but the precise details are still unfolding,” he said.

“Thank you to heroic law enforcement & first responders for acting so swiftly.”