The number of victims from the shooting in an elementary school in America, has now risen to 18, as officials report that eighteen children and one adult were killed in Tuesday’s mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
This latest information as reported by CNN was shared by Sgt. Erick Estrada of the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Estrada did not provide any other information on the victims.
Gov. Greg Abbott said earlier Tuesday “it is believed” that the shooter, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, was killed by law enforcement. Estrada confirmed the suspect was killed.
Ramos is believed to have shot his grandmother before going to the school, three law enforcement sources told CNN.
Two days before the start of summer break, an 18-year-old man opened fire at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday, killing 14 students and one teacher, Gov. Greg Abbott said earlier.
The alleged shooter, who also died, is believed to have shot his grandmother before going to the school, three law enforcement sources told CNN.
Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District police Chief Pete Arredondo said the gunman is believed to have acted alone. Arredondo declined to provide further details or take questions from reporters.
The suspected shooter was identified as Salvador Ramos, of Uvalde, according to officials.
According to the report by AP, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden was briefed on the shooting on Air Force One as he returned from a five-day trip to Asia. Biden was scheduled to deliver remarks Tuesday evening at the White House.
Uvalde is home to about 16,000 people and is the seat of government for Uvalde County. The town is about 75 miles (120 kilometres) from the border with Mexico. Robb Elementary is in a mostly residential neighbourhood of modest homes.
The tragedy in Uvalde was the deadliest school shooting in Texas history, and it added to a grim tally of mass shootings in the state that have been among the deadliest in the U.S. over the past five years.