May 24 (CBSNEWS)– At least 14 students and one teacher were killed when a gunman opened fire at an elementary school in Texas, Governor Greg Abbott said Tuesday. Abbott said the shooter is also dead, and is believed to have been killed by responding law enforcement officers.
Abbott’s comments came after the district reported an active shooter at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, which is approximately an hour and a half west of San Antonio. The school teaches 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students, according to Uvalde CISD Police Chief Pedro Arredondo.
Abbott said the shooter was an 18-year-old male who resided in Uvalde. He said it’s believed the suspect, who he named as Salvador Ramos, abandoned his vehicle, then entered the school with a handgun and possibly a rifle.
“He shot and killed — horrifically, incomprehensibly — 14 students and killed a teacher,” Abbott said.
Arredondo said the shooting took place at approximately 11:32 a.m. local time. He did not provide many details about what transpired, but confirmed the suspect is dead and said investigators believe he acted alone. He also confirmed there were several injuries and “some deaths,” but did not provide specific numbers.
The Uvalde Memorial Hospital previously said it received 13 children from ambulance and buses for treatment, and that two people who arrived at the hospital were deceased. A second hospital said it is caring for one child and one adult. That hospital, University Health, said a 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl are in critical condition.
South Texas Blood and Tissue said it sent 15 units of blood to Uvalde on Tuesday.
Though the details of the shooting were still emerging, the district said that there had been an “active shooter” at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.
The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District — located about an hour and a half west of San Antonio — tweeted at 1:17 p.m. that there was “an active shooter at Robb Elementary,” adding, “Law enforcement is on site. Your cooperation is needed at this time by not visiting the campus. As soon as more information is gathered it will be shared.”
At approximately 2:00 p.m. local time, the district said parents were cleared to pick up their children at the local civic center.
