Uwalde, Texas – The death toll from a shooting at Rob Elementary School in Uwalde, Texas, has risen to 20, with at least 18 children and two adults killed, authorities said.
This is current news. A previous version of this report is below.
Fourteen students and a teacher were killed in a shooting at Rob Elementary School in Uwalde, Texas, on Tuesday, according to Gov. Greg Abbott.
The 18-year-old suspect, a student at Uwalde High School, is also dead, he said.
“He shot and killed horribly and incomprehensibly 14 students and killed a teacher,” Abbott said during a press conference.
WATCH: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott confirms at least 14 students shot in elementary school
The suspect also shot his grandmother before entering the school and reopening fire, Abbott said. He said nothing more about her condition.
The shooter was identified by law enforcement sources and the governor as Salvador Ramos. Authorities have found an AR-15-style rifle and a number of shops, many law enforcement sources told ABC News.
“When parents leave their children in school, they have every expectation to know that they will be able to take their child when this school day is over. And there are families who are in mourning right now, “Abbott said. “The state of Texas is mourning with them for the reality that these parents will not be able to take their children.
Two police officers responded were among the injured, Abbott said. They are expected to survive, he said.
MORE: A parent is looking for a daughter in 4th grade after a deadly shooting in elementary school
ABC News confirmed that fourth-grade teacher Eva Mireles was among those killed. Mireles has worked in the Uwalde consolidated independent school district for 17 years, her aunt Lydia Martinez Delgado said in a statement.
“This is my hometown, a small community of less than 20,000 people. “I never imagined that this would happen especially to relatives,” Delgado said.
SEE ALSO: A teacher identified in a shooting at a school in Texas has been identified
Uwalde Memorial Hospital said 15 students were treated at the hospital’s emergency department after the incident. Two patients have been transferred to San Antonio for treatment, and a third is awaiting transfer, the hospital said. A 45-year-old man was also hospitalized after being injured by a bullet, the hospital said.
University Health in San Antonio said there were two patients in the shooting incident – a 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl – both in critical condition.
MORE: Dad is looking for 10-year-old daughter at funeral home after Texas school shooting
Two adult victims of the school shooting are being treated at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, according to an army officer who has not received up-to-date information about their condition.
ABC News special report: 14 students, 1 teacher killed after shooting at a primary school in Texas
Many of the victims of the shooting were children of customs and border officials, law enforcement sources told ABC News.
ACT: Resources for survivors and victims of gun violence
Uwalde Mayor Don McLaughlin did not confirm the victims, but told ABC News in a text message that “this is a very bad situation.” He said the office is trying to contact parents before releasing any information.
Earlier, Uwalde’s consolidated independent school district said the shooter was stationed at Rob Elementary School and asked people to stay away from the area.
“Robb Elementary School has an active shooter,” the school district said on Twitter. “Law enforcement is on the ground. Your cooperation is needed now because you are not visiting the campus. As soon as more information is gathered, it will be shared.”
Robb Elementary has an active shooter. Law enforcement is on the scene. Your cooperation is needed at this time by not visiting the campus. As soon as more information is gathered, it will be shared.
The rest of the district has a protected status.
– Uvalde CISD (@Uvalde_CISD) May 24, 2022
A school official initially told ABC News that the shooting took place off-campus and that Robb Elementary School was under lock and key.
The shooting took place shortly after 11:30 a.m. local time, police said.
The second, third and fourth grade schools informed the parents shortly after 2 pm that the students had been transported to Willie Deleon Civic Center, the reunion site, and could be picked up.
Parent Ryan Ramirez told the San Antonio affiliate of ABC KSAT that he went to the city center and elementary school trying to find his daughter in fourth grade after the shooting.
“[I’m] just confused and worried. I’m trying to find out where my baby is, “he told the station.
WATCH: An eyewitness to a shooting at Uwalde School describes a chaotic scene
Uwalde, Texas, is located about 90 minutes west of San Antonio.
The Bexar County Sheriff and the San Antonio Police Department are sending aid, and the FBI is responding.
The Houston Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also said it was supporting the investigation.
SEE ALSO: The United States is seeing a sharp rise in deadly mass shootings
Interior Ministry Secretary Alejandro Mallorca was briefed on the situation and the agency is “actively coordinating with federal, state and local partners,” a spokesman said. Customs and border officials in the area also responded.
The National Counter-Terrorism Operations Center believes there is “no known terrorist connection” at the moment, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by ABC News.
“Why are you here?!”
Furious Senator Chris Murphy is seeking answers from senators after the shooting at a school in Texas.
“Why do you spend all this time running for the United States Senate … if your answer is that when the massacre increases while our children run away for their lives, we do nothing?” Pic.twitter.com/9fkJ13vWGd
– ABC News (@ABC) May 24, 2022
Since 2017, mass shootings in the United States – described as shooting incidents in which at least four people were injured or killed – have doubled in almost a year. There are already 212 mass shooting incidents in 2022 – a 50% increase from 141 shootings in May 2017. The chart above shows the number of shooting incidents per state. Mobile users: Click here to see our map of mass shootings in the United States over the past five years
The number of wounded or killed does not include the suspect or perpetrator. These graphs show the number of casualties in all mass shootings in the last five years.
Pierre Thomas, Luke Barr, Aaron Caterski, Nicholas Kerr and Mireya Villarreal of ABC News contributed to this report.
This is an evolving story. Check again for updates.
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