President Biden releases statement on Texas elementary school shooting

President Joe Biden speaks during a news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at Akasaka Palace, Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Evan Vucci, Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden has released a statement on the shooting at a Texas elementary school that left at least 21 people dead.

The shooting happened at a school in Uvalde, Texas where officials said a gunman opened fire on Tuesday afternoon.

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The gunman has been identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Romas shot his grandmother before he went on the shooting rampage around 11:30 a.m. at Robb Elementary School, where second through fourth graders attend. Romas entered the school with a handgun, and possibly a rifle, and opened fire, Abbott said. He said the shooter was likely killed by responding officers but that the events were still being investigated.

You can read the president’s full statement below:

As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on May 24, 2022, by a gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, May 28, 2022. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-sixth.

President Joe Biden

This is a developing breaking news story. You can find all of our coverage so far below:

Read more of this developing story from our sister station in San Antonio, Texas, KSAT.