Prayers Needed: Mass Shooting in Uvalde, Texas 10 days after Buffalo, New York massacre
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By EEW Magazine Online Editors // Mass Shooting
Prayers are needed, as our nation is still reeling from a grocery store massacre in Buffalo, New York, perpetrated by an 18-year-old gunman, leaving 10 dead.
Just 10 days later, more than 1,700 miles away, in Uvalde, Texas, a different 18-year-old gunman opened fire at an elementary school, leaving 21 dead.
Salvador Ramos reportedly walked into Robb Elementary and barricaded himself inside a classroom, where he “began shooting anyone that was in his way,” authorities said. He slaughtered 19 children and two teachers.
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Ramos carried out his horrific murders by locking the classroom door and firing at children and teachers trapped inside. Law enforcement officers eventually broke into the classroom and killed the gunman who used an AR-style rifle.
Lt. Christopher Olivarez of the Texas Department of Public Safety said that all the victims were in the same fourth-grade classroom.
“It just shows you the complete evil of the shooter,” said Olivarez.
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There has been a lot of talk about evil in the aftermath of the Texas shooting. As some discuss the darkness that lies with mankind, many have also chosen to focus on the light found in the Word of God. On Wednesday morning, volunteers were seen arriving at the community center with Bibles as well as therapy dogs.
Thousands of mourners within and outside the grieving community are leaning into their faith and offering prayers for victims and their families.
“Tragedy has a way of bringing out the best in some people at the worst times,” said Hope Daniels, a local minister assisting in Bible distribution.
“As we unite in love and faith, the long journey of healing can take place. But we are not there yet, as the devastation is fresh,” she said.
Dillon Silva, whose nephew was in a nearby classroom, said students were watching a movie when a bullet shattered a window. Moments later, their teacher saw the armed assailant walk past the door.
“Oh, my God, he has a gun!” the teacher shouted twice, according to Silva. “The teacher didn’t even have time to lock the door,” he said.
Though investigators did not immediately disclose a motive, they confirmed that Ramos was a resident of the community about 85 miles west of San Antonio.
Ramos had hinted on social media that an attack could be coming, suggesting that “kids should watch out,” according to state Sen. Roland Gutierrez. Ramos legally bought two AR-style rifles just days before the attack, soon after his 18th birthday, state senators briefed by law enforcement said. Ramos also bought 375 rounds of ammunition.
Ramos was wearing a tactical vest at the time of the attack, but it had no hardened body-armor plates inside, lawmakers were told. He also dropped a backpack containing several magazines full of ammunition near the school entrance.
The slaughter in the heavily Latino town of Uvalde was the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. since a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012.
“My heart is broken today,” said Hal Harrell, school district superintendent. “We’re a small community, and we’re going to need your prayers to get through this.”
Before the attack, Ramos shot and wounded his grandmother, then fled the scene, crashing his truck near the school and entering the building. A tactical team forced its way into the classroom and was met with gunfire from Ramos but shot and killed him.
Uvalde, home to approximately 16,000 people, is about 75 miles from the Mexican border. Robb Elementary, which has nearly 600 students in second, third and fourth grades, is a single-story brick structure in a mostly residential neighborhood of modest homes.
The attack came as the school was counting down to the last days of the school year with a series of themed days. Tuesday was to be “Footloose and Fancy,” with students wearing nice outfits.
The attack was the latest in a seemingly unending string of mass killings at churches, schools, stores and other sites in the United States.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
