Biden: "It's wrong that 18-year-olds can buy guns"
"How many more students must see friends die?"
Strong gun control hinted: "Now is the time to act"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] The death toll from the mass shooting at an elementary school in Texas, USA, has risen to 21, including 19 children and 2 adults, AP News reported on the 24th (local time).
Roland Gutierrez, a Texas state senator, said he received this death toll report from the police on the same day and stated that three injured people are in critical condition. The suspect, an 18-year-old male, was shot dead at the scene by police response, and it is not yet known whether the shooter is included in the death toll. The man is believed to be a local resident of Uvalde.
President Biden of the United States, who was informed of the incident on Air Force One while returning from his Asia tour, indicated strong gun control measures in a White House speech, saying, "The idea that an 18-year-old youth can buy a gun is wrong." President Biden lamented, "How many students must see their friends die at school like a battlefield?" and emphasized, "We must stand up to the gun lobby." He added, "We will not forget those who obstruct or delay sensible gun laws," and said, "Now is the time to act."
Earlier, Texas Governor Greg Abbott held an emergency briefing and announced the status of the shooting victims. He said, "The shooter killed 14 students and one teacher in a horrific and incomprehensible manner." He had a handgun and a rifle, and during the response, two police officers were also shot but are reported to be in stable condition.
According to CNN and ABC broadcasts, Ramos drove himself to the school and aimed his gun at the children. Just before entering the school, he fired at an elderly woman. Detailed information about the suspect's motive and other aspects of the incident has not yet been disclosed.
Immediately after the shooting, all schools in the Uvalde area were closed. Police officers wearing bulletproof vests were deployed at the scene, and FBI agents also arrived, creating a tense atmosphere. The injured were urgently transported to Uvalde Memorial Hospital and nearby San Antonio hospitals for treatment, but since there are seriously injured people, the death toll is expected to rise.
This incident is the worst school shooting in Texas, occurring four years after a shooter killed 10 people at Santa Fe High School in the southeastern Houston area. Uvalde is a small town with a population of 16,000, located about 75 miles (120 km) from the Mexico border. The elementary school where the incident occurred is in a typical residential area and has about 600 students enrolled.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
