May 25 Texas shooting news

By Travis Caldwell, Seán Federico-O'Murchú, Adrienne Vogt, Aditi Sangal, Melissa Macaya and Mike Hayes, CNN

Updated 7:04 p.m. ET, May 26, 2022
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2:24 p.m. ET, May 25, 2022

Texas governor pins blame for shooting on mental health

(Marco Bello/Reuters)
(Marco Bello/Reuters)

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott placed the blame for the Uvalde school shooting that killed 19 kids and two teachers on mental health issues.

"Before coming out here, we had a long discussion with law enforcement at all levels ... and I asked the sheriff and others an open-ended question and got the same answer from the sheriff as well as from the mayor of Uvalde. The question was, what is the problem here? And they were straightforward and emphatic. They said ... 'we have a problem with mental health illness in this community.' And then they elaborated on the magnitude of the mental health challenges that they are facing in the community and the need for more mental health support in this region," Abbott said.

Just prior to these remarks, Abbott said the gunman used an AR-15 to carry out the shooting and had no known mental health history.

The governor also said that mental health services and counseling is available for the community affected by the shooting.

When later asked by a reporter about an 18-year-old's ability to purchase firearms, Abbott doubled-down and said it's a "mental health challenge" whenever someone uses a gun to shoot someone else.

"So the ability of an 18-year-old to buy a long gun has been in place in the state of Texas for more than 60 years, and think about during the time over the course of that 60 years, we have not had episodes like this, and why is it that for the majority of those 60 years we did not have school shootings and why is it that we do now?" the governor said.

"What I do know in talking to the leaders here as well as leaders in other locations around the state and that is the one thing that has substantially changed is the status of mental health in our communities. What I do know is this, and that is we as a state, we as a society, need to do a better job with mental health. Anybody who shoots somebody else has a mental health challenge, period. We as a government need to find a way to target that mental health challenge and do something about it," he said.

Abbott also compared Texas's gun laws with those in cities like Chicago and New York.

"There are, quote, real gun laws in Chicago. There are, quote, real gun laws in New York. There are 'real' gun laws in California. I hate to say this, but there are more people who were shot every weekend in Chicago than there are in schools in Texas," he claimed. "And we need to realize that people who think that 'maybe if we could just implement tougher gun laws, it's going to solve it.' Chicago and LA and New York disprove that thesis. And so if you're looking for a real solution, Chicago teaches that what you're talking about is not a real solution. Our job is to come up with real solutions that we can implement."

5:40 p.m. ET, May 25, 2022

A Border Patrol officer killed the Uvalde elementary school shooter, Texas governor says

During his news conference Wednesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott detailed how law enforcement officers engaged and killed the gunman at Uvalde's Robb Elementary School.

"Officers with the Consolidated Independent School District (ISD) approached the gunman and engaged with the gunman," he said. "The gunman then entered a back door and then went down two short hallways and then into a classroom on the left-hand side."

The gunman entered into a classroom, which was the connected internally to another classroom, Abbott explained.

"Border Patrol, Consolidated ISD officers, police, sheriffs and DPS (Texas Department of Public Safety) officers converged on that classroom. And a Border Patrol officer killed the gunman," he said.

1:46 p.m. ET, May 25, 2022

Grandmother of gunman contacted police after she was shot in the face, Texas governor says

(CNN)
(CNN)

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the 18-year-old gunman first shot his grandmother in the face before going into Robb Elementary School and killing 19 children and two teachers.

She called the police, and the gunman fled, had an accident with a vehicle outside the school and then went into the school, the governor said.

1:39 p.m. ET, May 25, 2022

Texas governor says "people are rightfully angry" after Uvalde school shooting

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott opened a press conference the day after a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, left 21 people dead by saying that "people are rightfully angry" about what happened.

"These kids will never attend school again. To say the least, Uvalde has been shaken to its core. Families are broken apart heart are forever shattered. All Texans are grieving with the people of Uvalde. And people are rightfully angry about what has happened. Events like this, they tear at the fabric of the community. Our job is to ensure that the community is not going to be ripped apart. All Texans must come together and support the families who have been affected by this horrific tragedy."

The press conference is ongoing.

1:35 p.m. ET, May 25, 2022

10-year-old Lexi Rubio's parents say "she had a bright future" before her life was cut short by gunman

Lexi Rubio
Lexi Rubio (courtesy Felix and Kimberly Rubio)

Felix and Kimberly Rubio celebrated their daughter Lexi making the All-A honor roll and receiving a good citizen award at Robb Elementary School on Tuesday shortly before the shooting that claimed her life.

Lexi was 10 years old and in the fourth grade, her parents told CNN.

“We told her we loved her and would pick her up after school. We had no idea this was goodbye,” Kimberly Rubio wrote in a post on Facebook.

The parents told CNN they were proud of their daughter.

“She was kind, sweet, and appreciated life. She was going to be an all-star in softball and had a bright future whether it’s sports or academic. Please let the world know we miss our baby,” they said.

1:34 p.m. ET, May 25, 2022

NOW: Texas Gov. Abbott holds a news conference a day after the Uvalde elementary school shooting

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is holding a news conference to provide an update after Tuesday's mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in the town of Uvalde.

He is joined by Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, other state lawmakers, Uvalde police chief Pete Arredondo and other officials.

The conference is being held at Uvalde High School.

12:58 p.m. ET, May 25, 2022

US defense secretary offers condolences to victims' families: "Today, we are all citizens of Uvalde"

From CNN's Ellie Kaufman

(Air Force Academy)
(Air Force Academy)

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that “today, we are all citizens of Uvalde” at the beginning of his commencement remarks at the US Air Force Academy graduation ceremony in Colorado Springs, on Wednesday, the day after a deadly shooting left 19 children and two teachers dead. 

“All of us here today are moms and dads, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, and our hearts break for them, and for the unspeakable grief that they are enduring,” Austin said. “We cannot assuage that grief, we know that. But we can endeavor to keep them and the loved ones that they lost close to our hearts and deep in our prayers.”

“So today, we are all citizens of Uvalde,” he added. 

Austin extended his condolences and “those of the entire department” of Defense to the people of Uvalde, Texas, in his opening comments.

At the beginning of the graduation ceremony, Chaplain Col. Julian Gaither held a moment of silence for the victims of the shooting. 

12:38 p.m. ET, May 25, 2022

Gabby Giffords' husband Sen. Mark Kelly says doing nothing about the Texas mass shooting "is nuts"

From Ali Zaslav and Jessica Dean

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly expressed his outrage over the deadly Uvalde school shooting, telling reporters on Wednesday that "it's f--king nuts to do nothing about this."

Kelly's wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, was critically wounded after being shot by a gunman outside a supermarket in 2011.

The couple has been active in calling for gun reform and responsible gun ownership.

12:15 p.m. ET, May 25, 2022

Uvalde funeral homes will cover funerals for victims at no cost

From CNN’s Amanda Watts

The two funeral homes in Uvalde will cover the cost of funerals for those who were killed Tuesday during the Robb Elementary School shooting.

In a post on Facebook, Hillcrest Memorial Funeral Home said: “We have fought together as a community and we will pull together as one now in our time of need.”

“Hillcrest will be assisting families with NO COST for funerals for all involved in today’s horrific events. Prayer for our small amazing town,” according to the post.

The funeral home said they are “lost for words … our phones have been ringing off the hook from the outcry of the entire state.”

Additionally, the Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary said they have supported the Uvalde community for more than 60 years. “Today, our resolve is stronger than ever. We are here for the people of Uvalde and our professionals are currently at Robb Elementary assisting law enforcement.”

“As the situation develops and we have the opportunity to assist our community, not one family will be charged for our services,” they said.