The nation's recurring nightmare has happened again. Texas State
officials say a gunman killed 18 Children and at least two adults,
including one teacher at an elementary school today.
It appears the 18 year old shooter Salvador Ramos, was killed by
police.
Gunfire broke out early this afternoon. In the city of you've Aldi.
It's about 85 Miles west of San Antonio. Heavily armed police swarmed
the school with ambulances close behind.
School staffers and others waited and watched.
Having just returned from a trip to Asia. President Biden spoke tonight
at the White House, trying to console families and calling for greater
action.
As a nation we have to ask when in God's name.
We're going to stand up to the gun lobby. When in God's name we do
we all know in our gut needs to be done.
I am sick and tired of it.
We have to act.
And don't tell me we can't have an impact on this carnage.
And earlier today, Texas Governor Greg Abbott spoke in Abilene.
When parents drop their kids off at school.
They have every expectation.
To know that they're going to be able to pick their child up when
that school day ends, and there are families who are in mourning
right now, and the state of Texas is in mourning with them.
As we learn more about this horrific event, I'm joined now by Taylor
Pet away. She's a reporter at the San Antonio Express News. And she
is following all of this very closely from San Antonio, which is
about 85 Miles east of you, Baldy.
Taylor. Thank you so much for being here on this just
Horrendous day for for your community for Texas and for this entire
country, I wonder if you could just tell us what is the latest that
you have heard from law enforcement about this tragedy today?
So right now, The lace that we're hearing is Unfortunately, the death
toll has continued to climb ever since. You know the first initial
reports that we've gotten so far like you said, we have 18 Children
dead.
Two, possibly three adults who have also perished in this and you
know, just a community estate in the country Right now, that's just
in utter disbelief and heartbreak.
Yeah. I can't imagine what the parents and the families in that community
are going through today.
We are talking about a massacre at an elementary school. So these
are
Ostensibly Children who are 89. Perhaps 10 years old is that correct
is that
however, officials said anything more about the Children themselves.
That is correct. So Rob's elementary School is 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders.
So very young Children. We know that some of the victims, you know,
are as young as 10 years old and
It's just
Absolutely incredible. And that works great too, You know.
The witness something like this and and just watch as these parents
and students and teachers stuff too real with something like this.
We understand that the shooter himself was not a stranger to this
community. He was from the local area. Have we learned anything else
about
Why, if there is any real reason why he visited this horror on this
particular school today
Unfortunately, we don't um please haven't released any sort of motive
if they even have one. Unfortunately in situations like this, especially
with the shooter who is now deceased, You know, there's a great possibility
that
This is a question that we never get answered. Um you know, we hope
that one day that will know
Why this heinous act was committed, but you know that we might not
ever know.
Can you tell us a little bit more for people who are not familiar
with you, Baldy? What kind of a community is this? Who are these
families that are going through this unspeakable moment.
Yeah. So you've all these just it's a small town in Texas. Um, you
know about 16,000 people. Rob's Elementary alone only has about 600
students. So it's a small, very close knit area. You know a lot of
families.
Just a lot of roots held there. And so you know, when something like
this happens, it just absolutely cuts to the core of the community.
I've been seeing reports that we heard from your governor earlier.
We certainly heard what President Biden had to say about the need
for greater action to try to address this. Your lieutenant governor
in your attorney general. Both spoke earlier this evening and said.
In their minds. The solution to this is hardening schools, limiting
exits and entrances and arming more teachers.
Is that kind of a response going to be
Accepted at in the moment of such a terrible tragedy are those kinds
of responses from your reporting going to be tolerated by people.
You know, it's really hard to to say I mean, I think, as we've seen
on multiple occasions with mass school shootings and just mashed
in shootings in general in our country.
Often. That's you know, the very quick response right after shooting,
and I mean, here we still are. You know, I think a lot of schools
and things have already started to do those measures where they have
limited entrances and exits where they've, you know.
Made people coming in Get visitors badges where they're, you know
our metal detectors. Things like that. Some counties in Texas are
now arming their teachers. I mean, it gets to a point where
How many more measures do you can you take? I mean, what else is
there? Left for us To do to try to protect, you know, are the citizens
of our state and our of our country.
That is certainly a question. We're going to keep asking for a long
time. Taylor Pet away from the San Antonio Express News. Thank you
so much for joining us.