‘I’m going to shoot an elementary school’: Texas school shooter posted plans to Facebook 15 minutes before deadly attack
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott gave an update on the 18-year-old who reportedly opened fire at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 kids and 2 teachers. Abbott says the shooter posted his plans to shoot his grandmother and to shoot up the school on Facebook.
UVALDE, Texas – On Wednesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott gave an update on the 18-year-old who reportedly opened fire at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 kids and 2 teachers. Abbott says the shooter posted his plans to shoot his grandmother and to shoot up the school on Facebook.
Gov. Abbott said Salvador Ramos legally bought two AR-style rifles just days before the attack at Robb Elementary School, soon after his 18th birthday, and seemed to hint online that something was about to happen.
“The only information that was known in advance was posted by the gunman on Facebook approximately 30 minutes before reaching the school,” Gov. Abbott said during a news conference on Wednesday.
The governor said Ramos posted three status updates before going on a shooting rampage at the school.
Salvador Ramos is pictured in a handout image. (Credit: Texas Department of Public Safety)
The first post reportedly read: “I’m going to shoot my grandmother.” The second post, Abbott said, was: “I shot my grandmother.”
Ramos’ grandmother survived and remains in the hospital.
Abbott said the last disturbing post, which was posted less than 15 minutes before arriving at Robb Elementary School, was: “I’m going to shoot an elementary school.”
Texas School Shooting: Victims IDed, gunman’s social media scrutinized
The gunman who massacred 19 children and two teachers at a Texas elementary school legally bought two AR-style rifles just days before the attack, soon after his 18th birthday, and seemed to hint online that something was about to happen.
After shooting his grandmother, Ramos fled the scene, crashing his truck near the school and entering the building, authorities said. Christopher Olivarez of the Texas Department of Public Safety told CNN that all the victims of the attack were in the same fourth-grade classroom.
Law enforcement officers eventually broke into the classroom, and a Border Patrol agent killed the gunman. Police and others responding to the attack also went around breaking windows at the school to enable students and teachers to escape.
Abbott said Wednesday that 17 others were hurt, including three officers, but that their injuries weren’t life–threatening.
The gunman had “no known mental health history,” Abbot said, and a criminal history had not been identified either.
The dead included an outgoing 10-year-old, Eliahna Garcia, who loved to sing, dance and play basketball; a fellow fourth grader, Xavier Javier Lopez, who had been eagerly awaiting a summer of swimming; and a teacher, Eva Mireles, with 17 years’ experience whose husband is an officer with the school district’s police department.
Investigators have not disclosed a motive.