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May 24, 2022 -- Deadly shooting at Texas elementary school

By Amir Vera, Mike Hayes, Aditi Sangal, Melissa Macaya and Meg Wagner, CNN

Updated 1826 GMT (0226 HKT) May 26, 2022
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6:44 p.m. ET, May 24, 2022

Texas elementary school shooting marks at least the 30th shooting at a K-12 school in 2022

From CNN staff

A woman reacts outside the SSGT Willie de Leon Civic Center, where students had been transported from Robb Elementary School after a shooting, in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24.
A woman reacts outside the SSGT Willie de Leon Civic Center, where students had been transported from Robb Elementary School after a shooting, in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24. (Marco Bello/Reuters)

Tuesday's shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, marks at least the 30th shooting at a K-12 school in 2022, according to a CNN count.

Excluding Tuesday’s shooting, so far in 2022 there have been at least 38 shootings in K-12 schools, colleges and universities, resulting in at least 10 deaths and 51 injuries.

The Texas shooting is the deadliest US school shooting since the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida in February 2018, when 17 people were killed.

Tuesday’s shooting is the deadliest shooting at an elementary school since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, when a gunman killed 26 people in December 2012.

6:55 p.m. ET, May 24, 2022

VP Kamala Harris has been briefed on Texas school shooting, White House says

From CNN's Jasmine Wright

Law enforcement personnel stand outside Robb Elementary School following a shooting on May 24, in Uvalde, Texas.
Law enforcement personnel stand outside Robb Elementary School following a shooting on May 24, in Uvalde, Texas. (Dario Lopez-Mills/AP)

Vice President Kamala Harris has been briefed on the school shooting in Texas, according to a White House official. 

"She will continue to receive regular updates," the official said. 

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tweeted earlier that President Biden had been briefed on the school shooting.

Biden plans to address the nation about the school shooting this evening at 8:15 p.m. ET from the White House, following his return from Asia.

6:16 p.m. ET, May 24, 2022

Texas governor identifies suspected gunman in school massacre

From CNN's Joe Sutton

The suspected gunman who killed 14 students and a teacher at a south Texas elementary school on Tuesday has been identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos. 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said at a news conference the gunman resided in Uvalde, had attended Uvalde High School.

Ramos was killed after the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Abbott said. 

6:18 p.m. ET, May 24, 2022

San Antonio hospital says they are treating a critically injured 10-year-old girl

From CNN’s Andy Rose

A San Antonio hospital says one of the Uvalde school shooting victims they are treating is 10 years old.

“We have received two patients from the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. One patient is a 66-year-old woman. The other patient is a 10-year-old girl. Both patients are in critical condition,” University Health System in San Antonio announced on Facebook Tuesday afternoon.

Uvalde Memorial Hospital treated more than a dozen victims in the shooting. Their ages have not been released.

6:03 p.m. ET, May 24, 2022

Houston mayor: "How many more children must lose their lives from senseless gun violence?"

From CNN's Suzanne Presto

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner released a statement following the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas:

“I am heartbroken and troubled to learn about today’s tragic event at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, that took the lives of 14 innocent children and one teacher and left dozens of children injured.
“My deepest condolences go to the families, teachers, and classmates enduring this unspeakable tragedy.
“In the last two weeks, at least 23 people have lost their lives in mass shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and now Uvalde, Texas. Congress must act, and governors and state legislators must pass reasonable gun control legislation. The voters must demand it from their representatives.
“How many more children must lose their lives from senseless gun violence?”
6:21 p.m. ET, May 24, 2022

Sen. Chris Murphy delivers emotional plea for action on Senate floor

From CNN's Paul LeBlanc

Sen. Chris Murphy speaks on the Senate floor on May 24.
Sen. Chris Murphy speaks on the Senate floor on May 24. (Senate TV)

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut delivered an emotional call to action on the Senate floor following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

Murphy, who has repeatedly pushed for legislative action following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, said: "This only happens in this country, and nowhere else. Nowhere else do little kids go to school thinking they might be shot that day."

"Our kids are living in fear every single time they set foot in a classroom because they think they're going to be next. What are we doing? Why do you spend all this time running for the United States Senate? Why do you go through all the hassle of getting this job — of putting yourself in a position of authority — if your answer is that as the slaughter increases, as our kids run for their lives, we do nothing."

Watch moment:

5:56 p.m. ET, May 24, 2022

President Biden will address nation from White House tonight on school shooting in Uvalde

From CNN's Matthew Hoye

President Joe Biden speaks during the Quad Leaders Summit at Kantei in Tokyo on May 24.
President Joe Biden speaks during the Quad Leaders Summit at Kantei in Tokyo on May 24. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

President Biden will address the nation about the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, this evening at 8:15 p.m. ET from the White House, following his return from Asia.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tweeted earlier that Biden had been briefed on the school shooting.

6:07 p.m. ET, May 24, 2022

LeBron James on Texas shooting: "There simply has to be change! HAS TO BE!!"

From CNN's Jillian Martin

NBA superstar LeBron James tweeted his thoughts following Tuesday's mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

6:06 p.m. ET, May 24, 2022

Ted Cruz calls school shooting "unspeakable crime"

From CNN's Jessica Dean and Ali Zaslav

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas called the shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, an "unspeakable crime."

But Cruz said he still doesn’t see gun reform as a solution. Instead, he said the way to prevent this type of crime is “going after felons and fugitives and those with serious mental illness arresting them prosecuting them when they try to illegally buy firearms.”

“You know inevitably, when there's a murderer of this kind, you see politicians try to politicize it, you see Democrats and a lot of folks in the media whose immediate solution is to try to restrict the constitutional rights of law abiding citizens. That doesn't work. It's not effective. It doesn't prevent crime,” he said.

Instead, Cruz advocated for more armed law enforcement resources on school campuses.

“There's no doubt we need to do more to keep children in school safe. We know from past experience one of the most effective tool for keeping kids safe is armed law enforcement on the campus. We don't know the details of what happened at Robb Elementary School, but there will be a lot of time to examine what steps could have been taken proactively to enhance the safety and security of the school right now," he said.