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People at a barrier at the elementary school in Uvalde: security forces on duty
Photo: ALLISON DINNER / AFP
Another massacre at a school shakes the United States.
Several children died from gunshots.
Politicians and celebrities again criticize the lax gun laws in the United States.
The overview.
What happened?
An armed man wearing a protective vest entered Robb Elementary School in the small Texas town of Uvalde around 11:30 a.m. (local time) on Tuesday.
He appears to be carrying a backpack and a rifle.
Although two police officers try to stop the perpetrator, he can enter several classrooms of the elementary school.
He shoots at least 19 school children.
Two adults were also killed in the attack.
Several police officers are injured.
The police kill the shooter.
It is so far unclear whether he is counted among the two adult fatalities mentioned.
The authorities later say that the alleged perpetrator also shot his grandmother at the school before the massacre.
She was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
The perpetrator is said to have driven a car to the elementary school and caused an accident there.
Then he entered the school.
Who are the victims?
According to the authorities, at least 19 primary school children are dead. It is unclear whether all have already been identified.
Parents waited for hours in front of the school building for their children.
One of the two adult victims is a teacher, according to Governor Greg Abbott.
CNN reports that it is a fourth grade teacher.
What is known about the alleged perpetrator?
Investigators say Salvador R., an 18-year-old local high school student, is believed to be the shooter.
He is said to have acted alone.
A motive for the crime is not yet known.
According to Senator Roland Gutierrez, R. had indicated plans for attacks on social media.
Gutierrez said the shooter "indicated that the kids should be careful" and that he bought two "assault weapons" after turning 18.
R. is said to have posted a photo of the murder weapons on Instagram before the massacre.
Which school is affected?
Robb Elementary School is in Uvalde, a town of 25,000 near San Antonio, Texas.
Around 600 students attend classes there.
Almost three-quarters of Uvalde's residents are Latino, which is also reflected in Robb Elementary School.
The school is now closed for the time being.
Summer vacation started on Thursday.
How are the reactions?
In an emotional speech in the evening, US President Joe Biden denounced the rampant gun violence in his country, which he blamed on lax gun laws.
"When in God's name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby?" Biden asked.
It is high time "to turn this pain into action for every parent, every citizen of this country".
He was "disgusted and tired," Biden said. "Losing a child is like having a piece of your soul ripped out."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called it a "senseless act," a "horrible tragedy that cannot be tolerated in the state of Texas."
Chancellor Olaf Scholz tweeted: "Terrible news this morning from a school in #Uvalde, #Texas.
Our thoughts are with the injured and the families of the victims of this incredible massacre, for which words can hardly be found." His condolences go to the US President and his American friends.
Pope Francis was also shaken: "My heart is broken after the bloodbath in the elementary school in Texas," said the head of the Catholic Church at the general audience in St. Peter's Square: "I pray for the children, for the dead adults and for their families .«
Celebrities also spoke out.
Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey calls for more action in the fight against gun violence.
“This is an epidemic that we can manage and regardless of which partisan side we're on, we all know we can do better.
We have to do better," wrote the Oscar winner on Twitter.
NBA coach Steve Kerr made the statement at a press conference given by his team.
"I'm so tired," said the 56-year-old, close to tears: "I'm so tired of sitting here and sending best wishes to the devastated families.
I'm so tired of the minutes of silence.
Enough!"
Have there been similar cases?
Attacks on US schools are common.
A massacre at an elementary school ten years ago caused particular shock: in December 2012, a 20-year-old shot at the Sandy Hook elementary school.
At that time, 20 school children and six teachers were killed.
On Valentine's Day 2018, a 19-year-old opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle on students and teachers at his former school in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people.
In addition, a rampage in a supermarket a few days ago had caused horror.
A man shot dead 10 people and injured three others with an assault rifle in Buffalo, New York.
He was arrested at the scene of the crime.
According to investigators, the act was racially motivated – 11 of the 13 victims were black.
Why haven't gun laws been tightened in the US yet?
US President Biden keeps pointing the finger at the US Congress when it comes to stricter gun laws.
Many Republicans reject stricter regulations - the gun lobby is very powerful in the USA.
Biden's Democrats lack the necessary votes in the US Senate for far-reaching changes in the law.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz, representing Texas in the Senate, has accused the Democrats of "politicizing" the Uvalde attack in order to limit gun rights.
ptz/dpa/AFP/AP
