Who was Salvador Ramos? Gunman, 18, killed after massacring 19 children and 2 teachers in Texas school
UVALDE, TEXAS: A teen shooter opened fire at a Texas elementary school on Tuesday, May 24, killing as many as 19 kids and two adults. Salvador Ramos, 18, was subsequently shot dead by police. Ramos reportedly headed to Robb Elementary School in Uvalde with two assault rifles around 11:32 am after shooting his grandmother.
At least another 15 kids, two adults and two officers who responded to the shooting were injured during the mayhem. 14 kids and one adult with minor injuries were taken to Uvalde Medical Center, the hospital’s CEO Tom Nordwick told New York Post. Some of the injured have already been released, while some others have been transferred to hospitals in San Antonio. A girl, 10, and a woman, 66, were taken to University Health San Antonio, the only Level 1 trauma center for both adults and children in the region, in critical condition.
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Police officials from the Texas Department of Public Safety, US Customs and Border Protection and various other local agencies responded to the deadly shooting in the small town located about 60 miles east of the Mexico border. “Texans across the state are grieving for the victims of this senseless crime and for the community of Uvalde,” Gov Greg Abbott said in a statement. “Cecilia and I mourn this horrific loss and we urge all Texans to come together to show our unwavering support to all who are suffering. We thank the courageous first responders who worked to finally secure Robb Elementary School.”
Tuesday's shooting was one of the deadliest school massacres in US history. The incident brings to mind two other similar shootings: one at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut where 20 first-graders and six educators were killed in 2012, and another where 32 people were killed at Virginia Tech in 2007. This shooting also comes just days after 10 people were shot dead by a gunman at a supermarket in Buffalo.
Who was Salvador Ramos?
Ramos is said to have cryptically messaged a stranger “I’m about to” just hours before he went on the killing spree. He attended the town’s high school. At a press conference in Abilene, Abbott said that Ramos abandoned his vehicle and entered the school before “horrifically” and “incomprehensibly” murdering several students and a teacher. He was then shot dead by responding officers.
Texas State Sen Roland Gutierrez reportedly said that the two assault rifles used in the massacre were bought by the shooter on his 18th birthday. His grandmother, who was shot, is not dead and is “still holding on.”
MEAWW found several Instagram accounts with Ramos' photos and could not independently verify which among them is the original profile of the shooter. New York Post found that one of the profiles tagged strangers on its photos.
In a Facebook post, Robb Elementary School wrote, "Our community has experienced a terrible tragedy. We must come together to console one another and respect the privacy of the families. Please keep all families in your prayers. School has been canceled for the rest of the school year for our students. This includes all extra-curricular activities for Wednesday and Thursday. The Graduation Ceremony will be addressed at a later time."
"School has been canceled for the rest of the school year for our students. This includes all extra-curricular activities for Wednesday and Thursday. The Graduation Ceremony will be addressed at a later time," it added. "This is a difficult time for everyone, however the gentle support all school community members give to each other during this time is the first step in healing. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your campus principal or your child’s school counselor."
