Uvalde, Texas, May 24: People gather at the City of Uvalde Town Square for a prayer vigil after a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School.Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images
- The victims
- How the attack unfolded
- The suspect
- Mass shootings in the U.S.
Table of contents
The latest
- Authorities haven’t yet released the victims’ names, but some information about them has emerged from their families.
- The Uvalde shooting has reignited debate over America’s lax gun-control laws. Democratic gunbernatotrial candidate Beto O’Rourke disrupted a press conference on Wednesday, blaming Republican Gov. Greg Abbott for inaction ahead of the latest in a long string of mass shootings in the state. “The time to stop the next shooting is right now, and you are doing nothing,” O’Rourke said.
- The gunman, Salvador Ramos, legally bought weapons soon after his 18th birthday and days before the attack. He purchased one rifle from a federally licensed gun dealer in the Uvalde area on May 17, and two days later, he bought a second rifle, law enforcement officials told state lawmakers.
- Law enforcement authorities are facing questions and criticism Thursday over how much time elapsed before they stormed into the Texas elementary school. Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw said that 40 minutes to an hour elapsed from when Ramos opened fire to when the U.S. Border Patrol team shot him.
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has joined a global chorus of grief following the shooting deaths of 19 children at a small-town elementary school in Texas, saying “all of Canada grieves with our American friends on this terrible, terrible day.”
The victims
Authorities haven’t yet released the victims’ names, but some information about them has emerged from their families.
- Uziyah Garcia, 8, was “the sweetest little boy that I’ve ever known,” said grandfather Manny Renfro, recalling how the youngster was already able to master football pass patterns.
- With the school year coming to a close, Xavier Javier Lopez, 10, had been looking forward to a summer of swimming, cousin Lisa Garza said. Ebullient and loving, he was “just enjoying life, not knowing that this tragedy was going to happen today,” she said.
- Eva Mireles, 44, had been teaching for 17 years, according to a welcome letter to students she wrote last fall. She and her husband, a school police officer, had a grown daughter. Mireles wrote that she loved running and hiking, and relative Amber Ybarra said she had an adventurous spirit.
- Vincent Salazar said his 10-year-old daughter, Layla Salazar, loved to swim and dance to Tik Tok videos. She was fast — she won six races at the school’s field day, and Salazar proudly posted a photo of Layla showing off two of her ribbons on Facebook. Each morning as he drove her to school in his pickup, Salazar would play “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” by Guns ‘n’ Roses and they’d sing along, he said. “She was just a whole lot of fun,” he said.
- Veronica Luevanos, whose 10-year-old daughter, Jailah Nicole Silguero, was among the victims, tearfully told Univision that her daughter did not want to go to school Tuesday and seemed to sense something bad was going to happen. Jailah’s cousin also died in the shooting.
- Irma Garcia, wrote about her four children, including one who was in the Marines, in a letter introducing herself to the class. Garcia’s 21-year-old nephew, John Martinez, told the Detroit Free Press the family was struggling to grasp that while Garcia’s son trained for combat, it was his mother who was shot to death.
- Relatives of 10-year-old Eliahna Garcia recalled her love of family. “She was very happy and very outgoing,” said Eliahna’s aunt, Siria Arizmendi, a fifth-grade teacher at Flores Elementary School in the same district. “She loved to dance and play sports. She was big into family, enjoyed being with the family.”
Victims of the Robb Elementary school mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas.Reuters
1 of 22
How the attack unfolded
OKLAHOMA
OKLAHOMA
DETAIL
DETAIL
Uvalde
Uvalde
Scene of mass shooting:
Robb Elementary School
Scene of mass shooting:
Robb Elementary School
Dallas
Dallas
U.S. HWY. 83
TEXAS
TEXAS
TEXAS
TEXAS
0
0
400
400
M
M
Houston
Houston
Uvalde
Uvalde
San Antonio
San Antonio
0
0
150
150
MEXICO
MEXICO
KM
KM
THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: TILEZEN; OPENSTREET-
MAP CONTRIBUTORS
THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: TILEZEN; OPENSTREET-
MAP CONTRIBUTORS
OKLAHOMA
DETAIL
Uvalde
Scene of mass shooting:
Robb Elementary School
Dallas
TEXAS
TEXAS
0
400
M
Houston
Uvalde
San Antonio
0
150
MEXICO
KM
THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: TILEZEN; OPENSTREET-
MAP CONTRIBUTORS
OKLAHOMA
DETAIL
Uvalde
Scene of mass shooting:
Robb Elementary School
Dallas
TEXAS
TEXAS
0
400
M
Houston
Uvalde
San Antonio
0
150
MEXICO
KM
THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: TILEZEN; OPENSTREETMAP CONTRIBUTORS
May 24′s massacre took place in Uvalde, Tex., a town of just over 15,000 people between San Antonio and the U.S.-Mexico border. That morning, the suspect had an argument with his grandmother and shot her, but she survived, local police said. He fled the scene of that shooting and crashed his car outside Robb Elementary School; when he emerged, he had body armour and a rifle. Once inside, he barricaded himself in a Grade 4 classroom and opened fire on children and teachers.
The 19 children and two teachers massacred at a South Texas elementary school were in a single fourth-grade classroom where the gunman barricaded himself, authorities said on Wednesday as the deadliest school shooting in a nearly decade reignited debate over America’s gun laws.
A Border Patrol agent who was working nearby rushed into the school without backup and killed the gunman, according to a law-enforcement official who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The agent was wounded but able to walk out of the school, the official said.
Ramos was wearing a tactical vest, though not body armour, according to state senators who said they were briefed on the shooting. There was another AR-15-style rifle in his truck, and a backpack with several magazines full of ammunition was found in near the school entrance.
Investigators have been scrutinizing an Instagram account that apparently belonged to him. In the days before the shooting, posts featured a photo of a hand holding an ammunition magazine and another photo of two AR-15-style rifles. The account asked another Instagram user to share the latter photo with her 10,000 followers; she declined, saying it was “scary” and she barely knew him.
On the morning of the massacre, the account linked to Ramos sent her an ominous message: “I’m about to.”
That morning, Ramos shot and wounded his grandmother at her Uvalde home, which is also the address he used on his driver’s license and gun paperwork, according to a law enforcement briefing provided to a state senator.
Instagram declined to answer questions about the postings and said it is working with law enforcement to review the account.
The archbishop of San Antonio, Gustavo Garcia-Siller, right, comforts families outside the Civic Center following a deadly school shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.Dario Lopez-Mills/The Associated Press
1 of 26
The suspect
Uvalde resident Salvador Ramos, 18, acted alone and his motives were unclear, law-enforcement officials said. State Senator Roland Gutierrez said Mr. Ramos had hinted on social media that an attack was coming and that he had bought two “assault weapons” when he turned 18.
Mass shootings in the U.S.
The Uvalde massacre was the deadliest school shooting since 2012′s attack on Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, in which a gunman killed 20 children and six adults. That shooting, and many others since, have so far failed to bring about tougher federal restrictions on the sale and licensing of guns; such laws have repeatedly stalled in Congress, due to mostly Republican opposition.
Texas has seen some of the worst mass shootings of the past five years, such as 2017′s Sutherland Springs church massacre and 2019′s killings at a Walmart in El Paso and a highway near Odessa. Eighty-five people have been killed in that period, but under Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who is up for re-election in November, gun laws have been loosened even further. Last year, the legislature scrapped licensing, training and background-check requirements for handgun owners, one of the last remaining restrictions on gun ownership in Texas.
Gun violence in America, told through seven charts
U.S. GUN VIOLENCE
Deaths in mass shootings since 1982,
by location type
School
Place of worship
Workplace
Military
Other
Fatalities
60
10
Firearm-related homicides
per 100,000 people, by county (2001–2020)
No data
available
2
4
6
8
MURAT YÜKSELIR / THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: MOTHER JONES; CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION; U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
U.S. GUN VIOLENCE
Deaths in mass shootings since 1982,
by location type
School
Place of worship
Workplace
Military
Other
Fatalities
60
10
Robb
Elementary
School
21
Firearm-related homicides
per 100,000 people, by county (2001–2020)
No data available
2
4
6
8
MURAT YÜKSELIR / THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: MOTHER JONES; CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION; U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
U.S. GUN VIOLENCE
Deaths in mass shootings since 1982, by location type
School
Place of worship
Workplace
Military
Other
Fatalities
60
40
Wash.
20
10
Maine
Mont.
N.D.
Umpqua
(2015)
9
Vt.
Minn.
Wis.
Idaho
Mich.
N.Y.
S.D.
Wyo.
Columbine
(1999)
13
Pa.
Iowa
Nebr.
Nev.
Ohio
Sandy
Hook (2012)
27
Ind.
Utah
W.Va.
Calif.
Ill.
Va.
Kans.
Colo.
Las Vegas
(2017)
60
Mo.
Ky.
N.C.
Tenn.
Ark.
Okla.
Virginia
Tech (2007)
32
Ariz.
Robb
Elementary
School
21
N.M.
S.C.
Ala.
Miss.
Ga.
La.
Tex.
Fla.
Orlando
nightclub (2016)
49
Alaska
Hawaii
Firearm-related homicides per 100,000 people, by county (2001–2020)
No data available
2
4
6
8
Wash.
Maine
Mont.
N.D.
Vt.
Ore.
N.H.
Minn.
Wis.
Idaho
Mich.
Mass.
N.Y.
S.D.
R.I.
Wyo.
Conn.
Pa.
Iowa
Nebr.
N.J.
Nev.
Ohio
Ind.
Del.
Utah
W.Va.
Calif.
Ill.
Colo.
Md.
Va.
Kans.
Mo.
Ky.
N.C.
Tenn.
Ark.
Okla.
Ariz.
N.M.
S.C.
Ala.
Miss.
Ga.
La.
Tex.
Fla.
Alaska
Hawaii
MURAT YÜKSELIR / THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: MOTHER JONES; CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION; U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
U.S. GUN VIOLENCE
Deaths in mass shootings since 1982, by location type
School
Place of worship
Workplace
Military
Other
Fatalities
60
40
Wash.
20
10
Maine
Mont.
N.D.
Vt.
Ore.
Minn.
Wis.
Idaho
Mich.
Wyo.
N.Y.
S.D.
Columbine
(1999)
13
Pa.
Iowa
Nebr.
Nev.
Ohio
Sandy
Hook (2012)
27
Ind.
Utah
W.Va.
Calif.
Ill.
Va.
Kans.
Las Vegas
(2017)
60
Mo.
Colo.
Ky.
N.C.
Tenn.
Robb
Elementary
School
21
Ark.
Okla.
Virginia
Tech (2007)
32
Ariz.
N.M.
S.C.
Ala.
Miss.
Ga.
La.
Tex.
Fla.
Orlando
nightclub (2016)
49
Alaska
Hawaii
Firearm-related homicides per 100,000 people, by county (2001–2020)
No data available
2
4
6
8
Wash.
Maine
Mont.
N.D.
Vt.
Ore.
N.H.
Minn.
Wis.
Idaho
Mich.
Mass.
N.Y.
S.D.
R.I.
Wyo.
Conn.
Pa.
Iowa
Nebr.
N.J.
Nev.
Ohio
Ind.
Del.
Utah
W.Va.
Calif.
Ill.
Colo.
Md.
Va.
Kans.
Mo.
Ky.
N.C.
Tenn.
Ark.
Okla.
Ariz.
N.M.
S.C.
Ala.
Miss.
Ga.
La.
Tex.
Fla.
Alaska
Hawaii
MURAT YÜKSELIR / THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: MOTHER JONES; CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION; U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
U.S. GUN VIOLENCE
Deaths in mass shootings since 1982, by location type
School
Place of worship
Workplace
Military
Other
Fatalities
60
40
Wash.
20
Maine
10
Mont.
N.D.
Umpqua
(2015)
9
Vt.
Minn.
Wis.
Idaho
Mich.
Mass.
Ore.
N.Y.
S.D.
Wyo.
Columbine
(1999)
13
Pa.
Iowa
Nebr.
Nev.
Ohio
Sandy
Hook (2012)
27
Ind.
Utah
W.Va.
Calif.
Ill.
Va.
Kans.
Colo.
Mo.
Las Vegas
(2017)
60
Ky.
N.C.
Tenn.
Ark.
Okla.
Virginia
Tech (2007)
32
Ariz.
Robb
Elementary
School
21
N.M.
S.C.
Ala.
Miss.
Ga.
La.
Orlando
nightclub (2016)
49
Tex.
Fla.
Alaska
Hawaii
Firearm-related homicides per 100,000 people, by county (2001–2020)
No data available
2
4
6
8
Wash.
Maine
Mont.
N.D.
Vt.
Ore.
N.H.
Minn.
Wis.
Idaho
Mich.
Mass.
N.Y.
S.D.
R.I.
Wyo.
Conn.
Pa.
Iowa
Nebr.
N.J.
Nev.
Ohio
Del.
Ind.
Utah
W.Va.
Calif.
Ill.
Md.
Colo.
Va.
Kans.
Mo.
Ky.
N.C.
Tenn.
Ark.
Okla.
Ariz.
N.M.
S.C.
Ala.
Miss.
Ga.
La.
Tex.
Fla.
Alaska
Hawaii
MURAT YÜKSELIR / THE GLOBE AND MAIL, SOURCE: MOTHER JONES; CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION; U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
Deadliest mass shootings in the U.S.
By number of fatalities since 1982, School/university shooting in bold
Shooting
Date
Fatalities
Las Vegas Strip
2017-10-01
60
Las Vegas, Nev.
Orlando nightclub
2016-06-12
49
Orlando, Fla.
Virginia Tech
2007-04-16
32
Blacksburg, Va.
Sandy Hook Elementary
27
2012-12-14
Newtown, Conn.
Texas First Baptist Church
2017-11-05
26
Sutherland Springs, Texas
Luby's
1991-10-16
24
Killeen, Texas
El Paso Walmart
2019-08-03
22
El Paso, Texas
San Ysidro McDonald's
1984-07-18
22
San Ysidro, Calif.
Robb Elementary School
2022-05-24
21*
Uvalde, Texas
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
2018-02-14
17
Parkland, Florida
United States Postal Service
1986-08-20
15
Edmond, Okla.
San Bernardino mass
2015-12-02
14
San Bernardino, Calif.
Binghamton
2009-04-03
14
Binghamton, N.Y.
Fort Hood
2009-11-05
13
Fort Hood, Texas
Columbine High School
1999-04-20
13
Littleton, Colo.
Virginia Beach municipal building
2019-05-31
12
Virginia Beach, Va.
Thousand Oaks nightclub
2018-11-07
12
Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Washington Navy Yard
2013-09-16
12
Washington, D.C.
Aurora theatre
2012-07-20
12
Aurora, Colo.
Tree of Life synagogue
2018-10-27
11
Pittsburgh, Penn.
*As of Wed. afternoon
the globe and mail, Source: mother jones
Deadliest mass shootings in the U.S.
By number of fatalities since 1982
School/university shooting
Shooting
Date
Fatalities
Las Vegas Strip
2017-10-01
60
Las Vegas, Nev.
Orlando nightclub
49
2016-06-12
Orlando, Fla.
Virginia Tech
2007-04-16
32
Blacksburg, Va.
Sandy Hook Elementary
2012-12-14
27
Newtown, Conn.
Texas First Baptist Church
2017-11-05
26
Sutherland Springs, Texas
Luby's
1991-10-16
24
Killeen, Texas
El Paso Walmart
2019-08-03
22
El Paso, Texas
San Ysidro McDonald's
1984-07-18
22
San Ysidro, Calif.
Robb Elementary School
2022-05-24
21*
Uvalde, Texas
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
2018-02-14
17
Parkland, Florida
United States Postal Service
1986-08-20
15
Edmond, Okla.
San Bernardino mass
2015-12-02
14
San Bernardino, Calif.
Binghamton
2009-04-03
14
Binghamton, N.Y.
Fort Hood
2009-11-05
13
Fort Hood, Texas
Columbine High School
1999-04-20
13
Littleton, Colo.
Virginia Beach municipal building
2019-05-31
12
Virginia Beach, Va.
Thousand Oaks nightclub shooting
2018-11-07
12
Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Washington Navy Yard shooting
2013-09-16
12
Washington, D.C.
Aurora theatre
2012-07-20
12
Aurora, Colo.
Tree of Life synagogue
2018-10-27
11
Pittsburg[h, Penn.
*As of Wed. afternoon
the globe and mail, Source: mother jones
Deadliest mass shootings in the U.S.
By number of fatalities since 1982
School/university shooting
Shooting
Date
Fatalities
Las Vegas Strip
2017-10-01
60
Las Vegas, Nev.
Orlando nightclub
2016-06-12
49
Orlando, Fla.
Virginia Tech
2007-04-16
32
Blacksburg, Va.
Sandy Hook Elementary
27
2012-12-14
Newtown, Conn.
Texas First Baptist Church
2017-11-05
26
Sutherland Springs, Texas
Luby's
24
1991-10-16
Killeen, Texas
El Paso Walmart
2019-08-03
22
El Paso, Texas
San Ysidro McDonald's
1984-07-18
22
San Ysidro, Calif.
Robb Elementary School
2022-05-24
21*
Uvalde, Texas
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
2018-02-14
17
Parkland, Florida
United States Postal Service
1986-08-20
15
Edmond, Okla.
San Bernardino
14
2015-12-02
San Bernardino, Calif.
Binghamton
14
2009-04-03
Binghamton, N.Y.
Fort Hood
2009-11-05
13
Fort Hood, Texas
Columbine High School
1999-04-20
13
Littleton, Colo.
Virginia Beach municipal building
2019-05-31
12
Virginia Beach, Va.
Thousand Oaks nightclub
2018-11-07
12
Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Washington Navy Yard
2013-09-16
12
Washington, D.C.
Aurora theatre
2012-07-20
12
Aurora, Colo.
Tree of Life synagogue
2018-10-27
11
Pittsburgh, Penn.
*As of Wed. afternoon
the globe and mail, Source: mother jones
More reading
On the Uvalde tragedy
Texas town of Uvalde reeling over how close to home the carnage has hit
David Shribman: In a country where mass shootings are the norm, Americans have moved beyond outrage
On past mass killings
André Picard: Stop using mental illness to explain away violence. It’s not that simple
Gun violence in America, told through seven charts
The Decibel
Last December, for the 32nd anniversary of Montreal’s École Polytechnique massacre, The Globe and Mail’s Patrick White took stock of which guns are legal in Canada and how our laws compare to those in the United States. Subscribe for more episodes.
Compiled by Globe staff
With reports from the Canadian Press, the Associated Press, Reuters
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