19 children, 2 adults dead in Texas elementary school shooting

At least 19 elementary school students and two adults, including a teacher, are dead after a shooting at a school in Texas that started shortly before noon. The mass shooting took place at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, according to The New York Times. It was the deadliest school shooting since the 2012 massacre in Newtown, Connecticut.

Salvador Ramos, 18, was identified as the suspected shooter. He was killed by officers, according to news reports.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbot updated reporters a few hours after the shooting in a rural area west of San Antonio. He said Ramos came on the school campus with a handgun or a rifle.

“I have instructed the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Rangers to work with local law enforcement to fully investigate this crime,” said Abbott in a statement.  “The Texas Division of Emergency Management is charged with providing local officials all resources necessary to respond to this tragedy as the State of Texas works to ensure the community has what it needs to heal.”

It isn’t clear how many students and staff were injured in the attack, but hospitals have reported treating additional patients in their emergency rooms.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom also reacted to news of the shooting on Twitter.

“14 children and a teacher dead,” he said. “Another shooting. And the GOP won’t do a damn thing about it. Who the hell are we if we cannot keep our kids safe. This is preventable. Our inaction is a choice. We need nationwide, comprehensive, commonsense gun safety NOW.”