Moment Republican Ted Cruz storms off and accuses British Sky News journalist of being a 'propagandist' for asking why school mass shootings 'only happen in America' during vigil for victims of Texas massacre that left 19 children dead

  • Ted Cruz stormed out of interview after being asked why school mass shootings 'only happen in America'
  • A British journalist questioned the Republican Texas senator during a Robb Elementary massacre vigil
  • Salvador Ramos, 18, killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School, Uvalde, in Texas
  • The lone gunman used two AR-15-style rifles he had bought just last week, days after his 18th birthday
  • The school mass shooting is the worst since Sandy Hook in 2012, and has reignited debate around gun laws

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This is the moment Texas senator Ted Cruz stormed out of an interview after being asked why school mass shootings 'only happen in America' during a vigil for victims of the Robb Elementary School massacre.  

Republican senator Cruz had joined Texas Governor Greg Abbott to be with hundreds of tearful relatives and friends mourning loved ones killed in the shooting, which is the worst school massacre since Sandy Hook in 2012.

Nineteen children from the same class and two of their teachers at Robb Elementary School, Uvalde, Texas, were murdered on Tuesday by 18-year-old Salvador Ramos using two AR-15-style rifles. Ramos had bought the guns and 375 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition legally a week before, just days after his 18th birthday.

British journalist Mark Stone cornered Cruz at the vigil and asked him whether it was time for gun reform laws in America. When asked why American exceptionalism is 'so awful', Cruz said: 'You know, I'm sorry you think American exceptionalism is awful. You've got your political agenda. God love you.' 

After repeatedly being told 'You can't answer that' by Stone, Cruz turned and said: 'Why is it that people come from all over the world to America? Because it's the freest, most prosperous, safest country on Earth. Stop being a propagandist.'

'You know, it's easy to go to politics,' Cruz told Sky News. 'Inevitably, when some violent psychopath murders people, if you want to stop violent crime, the proposals the Democrats have — none of them would have stopped this.'

He added: 'There are 19 sets of parents who are never going to get to kiss their child tonight.'

The Texas senator then stormed out of the interview at the vigil being held by relatives and friends of those killed in the massacre on Tuesday.  

Texas senator Cruz stormed out of an interview after a British journalist asked why school mass shootings 'only happen in America'

Texas senator Cruz stormed out of an interview after a British journalist asked why school mass shootings 'only happen in America'

He was asked the question while he was attending a vigil for victims of the Robb Elementary School massacre

He was asked the question while he was attending a vigil for victims of the Robb Elementary School massacre

Cruz had joined Texas Governor Greg Abbott to be with hundreds of tearful relatives and friends mourning loved ones killed in the shooting

Cruz had joined Texas Governor Greg Abbott to be with hundreds of tearful relatives and friends mourning loved ones killed in the shooting

Nineteen children and two of their teachers at Robb Elementary School, Uvalde, Texas, were murdered on Tuesday by 18-year-old Salvador Ramos using two AR-15-style rifles

Nineteen children and two of their teachers at Robb Elementary School, Uvalde, Texas, were murdered on Tuesday by 18-year-old Salvador Ramos using two AR-15-style rifles

Mourners gathered on the bleachers and on the dirt of a fairground arena in the small town of Uvalde

Mourners gathered on the bleachers and on the dirt of a fairground arena in the small town of Uvalde

A woman cries as she hugs a child, during a community gathering at the Uvalde County Fairplex, following the school mass shooting

A woman cries as she hugs a child, during a community gathering at the Uvalde County Fairplex, following the school mass shooting

The tight-knit Latino community of Uvalde was wracked with grief Wednesday after a teen in body armor marched into the school and killed 19 children and two teachers

The tight-knit Latino community of Uvalde was wracked with grief Wednesday after a teen in body armor marched into the school and killed 19 children and two teachers

Around 15,000 people live in the town of Uvalde, which is 50 miles from the international border with Mexico

Around 15,000 people live in the town of Uvalde, which is 50 miles from the international border with Mexico

Timeline of a massacre:  How events unfolded in Uvalde, Texas

11:32am Gunman arrives at the school after shooting his grandmother. She survived and called 911, telling them he had fled. 

At the school the gunman encounters a school resource officer. 

It's unclear if he tried to shoot him but the gunman was able to make his way inside and barricades himself into a fourth grade classroom 

11:43am: Robb Elementary School posts to Facebook that the campus has gone under lockdown due to gunshots in the area.

Parents rush to the scene 

12.17pm: The school posts on Facebook that there is an 'active shooter' on campus

1.06pm:The Uvalde Police Department reports the suspect is 'in police custody' after police broke into the classroom.

By then, 150 cops had descended onto the scene but it took 90 minutes for them to get to the shooter and stop him  

 

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Cruz told CNN after the shooting, 'inevitably when there's a murderer of this kind, you see politicians try to politicise it, you see Democrats and a lot of folks in the media whose immediate solution is to try to restrict the constitutional rights of law abiding citizens.' 

His post on Twitter expressing condolences for the massacre was reposted by progressive Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who called out his upcoming NRA appearance.

'Aren't you slated to headline a speaking gig for the NRA in three days - in Houston, no less? You can do more than pray. Faith without works is dead,' Ocasio-Cortez wrote.

Meanwhile, fellow Republican senator Marco Rubio said: 'Any firearm is potentially dangerous in the arms of a deranged lunatic.'

Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the state's junior GOP Senator Ted Cruz have came under scrutiny for being slated to speak at the National Rifle Association (NRA) pro-gun annual meeting in Houston on Friday.

The NRA, which has for decades fiercely opposed gun control of all kinds, endorsed Abbott in his re-election bid this November against Democrat Beto O'Rourke.

NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre once hailed Abbott as 'a tireless defender of the right to keep and bear arms.'

However, Abbott faced backlash on Twitter for his planned speech at the NRA's convention on Friday in Houston, less than 300 miles from the shooting in Uvalde. 

His Democratic rival Beto O'Rourke called for him to 'immediately withdraw', while Reed Galen, a political strategist who served the Republican George W Bush administration, called Abbott a 'butcher'.

President Joe Biden delivered a brief but powerful address in response to the shooting on Tuesday night, where he grieved for the victims and their families but also tore into gun manufacturers and lobbyists like the NRA for their opposition to 'common sense gun laws.'

In this aerial view, law enforcement works on scene at Robb Elementary School where at least 21 people were killed on Tuesday

In this aerial view, law enforcement works on scene at Robb Elementary School where at least 21 people were killed on Tuesday

Salvador Ramos, 18, shot his grandmother before going on a killing spree at Robb Elementary School, murdering 19 children and two teachers before he was shot dead by a Customs and Border Protection agent

'I had hoped, when I became president, I would not have to do this. Again. Another massacre,' Biden said.

Speaking from the White House Roosevelt Room with First Lady Jill Biden clad in black by his side, the president said: 'Uvalde, Texas. An elementary school. Beautiful innocent, second, third, fourth graders. And how many scores of little children who witnessed what happen - see their friends die as if they're on a battlefield, for God's sake?' 

'As a nation, we have to ask, when in God's name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? When in God's name will we do what we all know in our gut needs to be done?' he questioned.

Biden recalled the numerous mass shootings over the last decade, including visiting Sandy Hook Elementary School, where a gunman killed 26 people including 20 children while he was vice president. He also remarked on the this month's mass shooting that killed 10 people in Buffalo, New York.

Celebrities also came out online against gun laws in the US following the school mass shooting. LA Dodgers baseball player Mookie Betts called for a change to gun laws while Gary Lineker called the laws 'bizarre'. 

Meanwhile, Matthew McConaughey, who is from Uvalde, said 'action must be taken'. On Thursday tech multi-billionaire Elon Musk said assault rifles should require a 'special permit'.

NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre will likely attend the conference in Houston on Friday, where a marquee of national GOP stars are expected to speak

Trump posted on his app Truth Social, 'So hard to think or report about anything else after watching the Texas school "massacre" which took place yesterday'

Trump posted on his app Truth Social, 'So hard to think or report about anything else after watching the Texas school "massacre" which took place yesterday'

Trump commended law enforcement and mourned the 'incredible souls' lost in the message on his social media platform

Trump commended law enforcement and mourned the 'incredible souls' lost in the message on his social media platform

The NRA tweeted this on Monday night, before the shooting, about Trump's Friday appearance at the annual convention

The NRA tweeted this on Monday night, before the shooting, about Trump's Friday appearance at the annual convention

Texas Governor Greg Abbott attends a vigil for the victims of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on May 25

Texas Governor Greg Abbott attends a vigil for the victims of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on May 25

Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at the annual National Rifle Association (NRA) convention in Dallas, Texas, in 2018

Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at the annual National Rifle Association (NRA) convention in Dallas, Texas, in 2018

'I am sick and tired of it. We have to act. And don't tell me we can't have an impact on this carnage. I spent my career as a senator and vice president working to pass common sense gun laws,' he said. 

Biden claimed the ability for a teenage gunman to be able to 'walk into a gun store and buy two assault weapons is just wrong.'

Who is Ted Cruz? 

Ted Cruz, 51, is a Republican senator for Texas.

Born in Canada, his family moved to Houston, Texas, when he was four years old. 

Cruz joined George W Bush's presidential campaign and was later appointed the solicitor general of Texas.

He was elected to Congress in 2013 and became a leading figure in the conservative movement.

In 2016 he joined the US Presidential race on the back of steadfast conservative politics.

He tried to prevent access to abortions and has been vehemently pro-gun.

In 2021 he said gun laws were not the answer to mass shootings.

Instead he called for the government to 'target the bad guys' and prevent violent criminals and people with serious mental illness from buying guns.

Cruz has received more money from gun rights groups than other member of Congress with lifetime contributions of $442,000 (£350,000).

He is one of 98 Republican members of Congress in the top 100 for money received from gun rights groups.

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'What in God's name do you need an assault weapon for except to kill someone?' Biden questioned.

He then accused gun makers of spending 'two decades aggressively marketing assault weapons, which make them the most and largest profit.' 

'For God's sake, we have to have the courage to stand up to the industry,' the president said.

Donald Trump announced on Wednesday he still intends to speak at the annual meeting, which comes in Texas just three days after the school mass shooting in Uvalde.

'America needs real solutions and real leadership in this moment, not politicians and partisanship,' Trump said on his app Truth Social.

'That's why I will keep my longtime commitment to speak in Texas at the NRA Convention and deliver an important address to America. In the meantime, we all continue to pray for the victims, their families, and for our entire nation - we are all in this together!'

Trump said earlier in the morning the elementary school shooting  is a 'moment in time that will never be forgotten' and extended his 'grief and sorrow' for the victims of the mass slaughter. 

As mourners embraced and wept, relatives and friends of those murdered gathered at a fairground arena in the small town of Uvalde for a vigil on Wednesday.

Throughout the day, mourners made their way to a municipal centre, where they could receive psychological support. 

Around 15,000 people live in the town, which is 50 miles from the border with Mexico. 

Ryan Ramirez fought back tears as he spoke of his 'lovable' 10-year-old daughter Alithia, an aspiring artist who was among the 19 schoolchildren killed in a cold-blooded shooting that has devastated the tight-knit community. 

Some held portraits of the dead, others squeezed stuffed animals and drawings, each struggling to comprehend the tragedy of the previous day.

'I'm just heartbroken right now,' Ramirez said as Alithia's mother hugged their other daughter.

Abbott faced backlash on Twitter for his planned speech at the NRA's convention on Friday in Houston, less than 300 miles from the shooting in Uvalde. His Democratic rival Beto O'Rourke called for him to 'immediately withdraw', while Reed Galen, a political strategist who served the Republican George W Bush administration, called Abbott a 'butcher'

Abbott faced backlash on Twitter for his planned speech at the NRA's convention on Friday in Houston, less than 300 miles from the shooting in Uvalde. His Democratic rival Beto O'Rourke called for him to 'immediately withdraw', while Reed Galen, a political strategist who served the Republican George W Bush administration, called Abbott a 'butcher'

Meanwhile, President Biden said: 'Common sense gun laws can't and won't prevent every tragedy. But we know they work and have a positive impact'

Meanwhile, President Biden said: 'Common sense gun laws can't and won't prevent every tragedy. But we know they work and have a positive impact'

 

Celebrities came out online against gun laws in the US following the school mass shooting. LA Dodgers baseball player Mookie Betts called for a change to gun laws while Gary Lineker called them 'bizarre'. Meanwhile, Matthew McConaughey, who is from Uvalde, said 'action must be taken' and Elon Musk said assault rifles should require a 'special permit'

Celebrities came out online against gun laws in the US following the school mass shooting. LA Dodgers baseball player Mookie Betts called for a change to gun laws while Gary Lineker called them 'bizarre'. Meanwhile, Matthew McConaughey, who is from Uvalde, said 'action must be taken' and Elon Musk said assault rifles should require a 'special permit'

Mourners held portraits of the dead, others squeezed stuffed animals and drawings, each struggling to comprehend the tragedy of the previous day

Mourners held portraits of the dead, others squeezed stuffed animals and drawings, each struggling to comprehend the tragedy of the previous day

Flowers are placed on a makeshift memorial outside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 25

Flowers are placed on a makeshift memorial outside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 25

Balloons adorned the elementary school's welcome sign while small white crosses were placed on the grass by the pavement to remember the children and teachers who were killed on Tuesday

Balloons adorned the elementary school's welcome sign while small white crosses were placed on the grass by the pavement to remember the children and teachers who were killed on Tuesday

Community members prayed together during a vigil on Wednesday, May 25, for the 21 victims of the shooting

Community members prayed together during a vigil on Wednesday, May 25, for the 21 victims of the shooting

Hundreds of people attended a vigil on Wednesday after the worst school mass shooting since Sandy Hook in 2012

Hundreds of people attended a vigil on Wednesday after the worst school mass shooting since Sandy Hook in 2012

Mourners gathered to grieve together after the horrific tragedy at the Texas elementary school in which 19 children and two teachers were killed

Mourners gathered to grieve together after the horrific tragedy at the Texas elementary school in which 19 children and two teachers were killed

Religious figures offered prayers at the bilingual vigil, where Governor Greg Abbott gripped Uvalde's Mayor Ruben Nolasco in a long hug (pictured)

Religious figures offered prayers at the bilingual vigil, where Governor Greg Abbott gripped Uvalde's Mayor Ruben Nolasco in a long hug (pictured)

Ryan Ramirez fought back tears as he spoke of his 'lovable' 10-year-old daughter Alithia (pictured), an aspiring artist who was among the 19 schoolchildren killed in a cold-blooded shooting that has devastated the tight-knit community

Ryan Ramirez fought back tears as he spoke of his 'lovable' 10-year-old daughter Alithia (pictured), an aspiring artist who was among the 19 schoolchildren killed in a cold-blooded shooting that has devastated the tight-knit community

A grieving Esmeralda Bravo holding a photograph of her granddaughter Nevaeh, one of the children who was murdered

A grieving Esmeralda Bravo holding a photograph of her granddaughter Nevaeh, one of the children who was murdered

Angie Garcia consoles her son as he cries for his cousin who died in the mass shooting

Angie Garcia consoles her son as he cries for his cousin who died in the mass shooting

Jacinto Cazares, whose 10-year-old daughter Jacklyn was killed in the Uvalde school shooting on Tuesday, is pictured on Wednesday outside the school

Jacinto Cazares, whose 10-year-old daughter Jacklyn was killed in the Uvalde school shooting on Tuesday, is pictured on Wednesday outside the school

'She was a real good artist' and aspired to greatness, he added, flipping through a portfolio of his daughters colorful paintings as well as birthday cards she drew for her mother.

'My daughter would want everybody that was involved to be strong and keep it together. That's what we're trying to do.'

What gun laws are there in the US and how many people own a gun? 

Americans have a constitutional right to bear arms under the Second Amendment.

Roughly one in every three American adults own a gun and two in five live in a household with a gun.

While there are federal laws governing who can obtain a gun licence, each state has its own laws on ownership.

It is incredibly difficult to pass gun laws at federal level as the minority party (currently the Republicans) can debate laws indefinitely, effectively blocking them. 

It has been estimated there are 390 million guns in circulation in the US. It accounts for a ratio of 120.5 firearms per 100 residents.

In 2020, the last year wit a full dataset, 45,222 people died from gun-related injuries in America, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

More than 50 people are killed by guns in the US every day and most murders are carried out with firearms. 

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Young Alithia faced similar tragedy last September when she lost a close classmate, Nico, in a car crash in Dallas, her father said.

She processed the grief in one of the few ways that made sense: through art.

Ramirez showed a detailed drawing his daughter had made of Nico up in heaven, looking down at the friend he left behind.

Religious figures offered prayers at the bilingual vigil, where Governor Greg Abbott gripped Uvalde's Mayor Ruben Nolasco in a long hug.

A grieving Esmeralda Bravo held a photograph of her granddaughter Nevaeh, one of those who was murdered.

'This has no explanation, my granddaughter did not deserve this,' Bravo said quietly.

'She was a good little girl, very shy and very pretty,' she said. 

'It means so much to me to have this support from the community but I would rather have my granddaughter here with me.'

Hours earlier and blocks away, Aida Hernandez shed bitter tears as she left mass at the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic church.

Hernandez, who is in her sixties, taught at Robb Elementary until she retired two years ago.

In the small house of worship off Uvalde's main street, the largely Hispanic congregation prayed for the victims of America's worst school shooting in a decade.

It is the worst school shooting since Sandy Hook in 2012, when year-old lone gunman Adam Lanza shot dead 20 children and six teachers at the Connecticut elementary school. 

After the mass for Tuesday's massacre, Hernandez said: 'My experience was of horror and pain. I knew the victims. I'm still in shock.'

'When you teach and you're in the classroom, that's your job to protect them. They did more beyond what they were supposed to do.'

Salvador Ramos legally purchased two AR-15 style rifles including the one he used in yesterday's attack after his 18th birthday last week. The gunman also bought more than 300 rounds of ammunition
Salvador Ramos legally purchased two AR-15 style rifles including the one he used in yesterday's attack after his 18th birthday last week. The gunman also bought more than 300 rounds of ammunition

Salvador Ramos legally purchased two AR-15 style rifles (right) including the one he used in yesterday's attack after his 18th birthday last week. The gunman also bought more than 300 rounds of ammunition

Ramos bought two AR-15 assault rifles, bragged about them on social media and suggested he would commit an atrocity before the deadly attack. He spent an estimated $4,000 on the weapons, ammunition and a tactical-style vest

Ramos bought two AR-15 assault rifles, bragged about them on social media and suggested he would commit an atrocity before the deadly attack. He spent an estimated $4,000 on the weapons, ammunition and a tactical-style vest

The faces of 11 confirmed victims from Tuesday's shooting. Nineteen children in the fourth grade were shot and killed on Tuesday. Top row, from left - Eliahana 'Eliajha' Cruz Torres, 10; Lexi Rubio; Annabelle Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10; Maite Yuleana Middle row, from left - Xavier Lopez, 10; Rojelio Torres, 10; Uziyah Garcia, 8. Front row, from left - Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10; Jacklyn Cazares, 10; Layla Salazar, 10; Jose Flores Jr., 10

The faces of 11 confirmed victims from Tuesday's shooting. Nineteen children in the fourth grade were shot and killed on Tuesday. Top row, from left - Eliahana 'Eliajha' Cruz Torres, 10; Lexi Rubio; Annabelle Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10; Maite Yuleana Middle row, from left - Xavier Lopez, 10; Rojelio Torres, 10; Uziyah Garcia, 8. Front row, from left - Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10; Jacklyn Cazares, 10; Layla Salazar, 10; Jose Flores Jr., 10

Irma Garcia (pictured) and Eva Mireles, who co-taught fourth grade, were both shot and killed at Robb Elementary School on Tuesday
A little boy claimed Garcia and Mireles (pictured) sacrificed themselves to protect their students

Irma Garcia (left) and Eva Mireles (right), who co-taught fourth grade, were both shot and killed at Robb Elementary School on Tuesday. A little boy claimed they sacrificed themselves to protect their students

Jacklyn, 10, was one of 19 children and two teachers murdered by Ramos on Tuesday

Jacklyn, 10, was one of 19 children and two teachers murdered by Ramos on Tuesday

Rosie Buantel, in her fifties, was equally grief-stricken but outraged as well. The massacre at Robb Elementary has reignited debate over gun laws.

Buantel said: 'I'm sad and I'm angry at our government for not doing more about gun control.

'We've gone through this one too many times. And still there's nothing done. They're still debating.'

There were 288 school shootings in the US between 2009 and 2018, the highest number in the world. Mexico was second with eight school shootings in the same time. 

The National Rifle Association said: 'Our deepest sympathies are with the families and victims involved in this horrific and evil. 

Shooter's mother claims her son was NOT violent

The mother of the sick school shooter who shot dead 19 children and two teachers in Texas has claimed he 'wasn't a violent person'.

Adriana Reyes said she was 'surprised' Salvador Ramos opened fire in a horrific killing spree at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde yesterday.

She admitted her son was a loner who 'kept to himself and didn't have many friends' but shot down reports she had a toxic relationship with him.

In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com she did not address claims she was a drug addict who saw the boy ditch her and go to live with his grandmother Celia Gonzalez.

Reyes was speaking from the bedside of Gonzalez, 66, as she recovers from being blasted in the face by her vile grandson before he went on a rampage and shot dead 19 children and two teachers.

He had bought two AR-15 assault rifles, bragged about them on social media and suggested he would commit an atrocity before the deadly attack.

But earlier today Ramos' grandfather revealed the family had no idea he legally purchased the two weapons last week.

Rolando Reyes, 74, Gonzalez's husband, also claimed his grandson had been a quiet teenager who spent most of his time alone in his room.

Speaking to DailyMail.com from San Antonio, Reyes said: 'My son wasn't a violent person. I'm surprised by what he did.

'I pray for those families. I'm praying for all of those innocent children, yes I am. They [the children] had no part in this.'

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'On behalf of our members, we salute the courage of school officials, first responders and others who offered their support and services. 

'Although an investigation is underway and the facts are still emerging, we recognize this was the act of a lone, deranged criminal.'

It ended its statement with a confirmation its marquee Houston event will move forward despite the recent tragedy.

'As we gather in Houston, we will reflect on these events, pray for the victims, recognise our patriotic members and pledge to redouble our commitment to making our schools secure.'

On the day of the shooting, many relatives and friends of the victims faced hours of anguished waiting to find out what happened to their loved ones.

Volunteer psychologist Iveth Pacheco traveled from San Antonio to provide support to those in need.

'It's one of those situations where you just have to be present,' she said. 'We have to be ready for the child whatever questions they have and it's the same thing with the adults right now.'

Democrats and some Republicans in the US Senate discussed tightening reviews of gun buyers following the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade, although members of both parties acknowledged action was unlikely.

There is a wide gap between the two parties with Republicans arguing that new limits on legal gun purchases will do nothing to deter crime, despite impassioned pleas by Democratic President Joe Biden and some of his Senate colleagues to act.

Republicans assert a right to bear arms protected by the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. The political stalemate angers Democrats.

'It's f***ing nuts to do nothing about this!' fumed Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, whose wife - former Arizona congresswoman Gabby Giffords - suffered a severe brain injury during an assassination attempt in 2011.

 Senate Majority Leader and Democrat Chuck Schumer said: 'My Republican colleagues can work with us now. I know this is a slim prospect, very slim, all too slim.'

Schumer's Republican counterpart, Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, on Wednesday condemned the murderous actions of a 'deranged' gunman and a 'maniac' without addressing prospects for legislation. 

Democrats control razor-thin majorities in Congress but Senate rules mean they need at least 10 Republicans to pass major legislation, which may be difficult with less than six months until November elections, when Republicans aim to retake the majority.

Similar debates have erupted following the many mass shootings that have occurred in the United States over the past decades with little to no action by Congress.

David Hogg, a survivor of the 2018 Parkland, Florida, high school shooting and a gun-control activist, urged lawmakers to act.

'I want anything. We gotta save lives now. Kids are dying right now,' Hogg said in an interview. 'Even if it just saves one life, because it's an updated background checks bill, or an expansion of extreme risk protection orders, or anything like that.'

Murphy, of Connecticut, where a gunman killed 26 children and educators at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, had implored his colleagues in a Senate speech on Tuesday to act.

'The thing that would have the best chance would be the thing that's gotten Republican support before, which is expanding background checks,' said Toomey, who told reporters he has been in contact with Murphy.

Collins said the details of the Texas shooting suggested a role for 'red flag' legislation that would employ the courts and medical profession to deny firearms to people deemed mentally ill.

Tuesday's violence began when Ramos shot and critically wounded his grandmother at her home (above) in Uvalde. The grandmother survived and Ramos then drove the short distance to Robb Elementary and opened fire

Tuesday's violence began when Ramos shot and critically wounded his grandmother at her home (above) in Uvalde. The grandmother survived and Ramos then drove the short distance to Robb Elementary and opened fire

Veering wildly off the road, Ramos crashed a Ford F-150 pickup truck into a culvert behind the elementary school

Veering wildly off the road, Ramos crashed a Ford F-150 pickup truck into a culvert behind the elementary school

Tuesday's violence began when Ramos shot and critically wounded his grandmother at her home in Uvalde, where he had reportedly been living for several months after domestic problems in his mother's home across town.

The grandmother was airlifted to a hospital and was still clinging to life on Wednesday.

After shooting his grandmother, Ramos drove in a black Ford F-150 pickup truck the short distance to Robb Elementary, just half a mile away.

Veering wildly off the road, Ramos crashed the truck into a culvert behind the elementary school, according to officials and photos from the scene.

At 11.32am, the first 911 call came in reporting the vehicle crash, and saying a man with a gun was exiting the truck.

Ramos, wearing body armor, apparently left one of the rifles in the truck, and carried the other with him towards the school, along with a backpack full of ammunition.

Investigators say Ramos dropped the backpack near an entrance to the school, and that it contained seven 30-round magazines. It's unclear whether the magazines held live ammunition.

Police told news station KENS 5 Ramos exchanged gunfire with police as he stormed into the school, but ultimately cops were unable to prevent him from gaining entry. 

Texas DPS Director said a school resource officer 'confronted', but did not 'engage' the gunman as he entered the school.  

Ramos crashed his truck into a ditch before entering the school. Cops found one of his AR-15 guns inside the vehicle, and he had also dumped a bag (circled) nearby. At the entrance of the school, they found his backpack which contained ammunition

Ramos crashed his truck into a ditch before entering the school. Cops found one of his AR-15 guns inside the vehicle, and he had also dumped a bag (circled) nearby. At the entrance of the school, they found his backpack which contained ammunition 

One video at the scene appears to show Ramos approach the school while what sounds like gunfire is going off in the background. Police exchanged gunfire with Ramos but were unable to stop him from storming the school

One video at the scene appears to show Ramos approach the school while what sounds like gunfire is going off in the background. Police exchanged gunfire with Ramos but were unable to stop him from storming the school

'The suspect made entry into the school and as soon as he made entry into the school he started shooting children, teachers, whoever's in his way,' Department of Public Safety Lt. Christopher Olivarez told the station. 

Frustrated parents considered storming school themselves 

Frantic parents of the children murdered in their Texas school screamed at law enforcement officers to enter the school and discussed storming the building to rescue their kids, as it emerged that the gunman was only stopped when authorities obtained a key to open the classroom door. 

The first 911 call was received at 11:32am on Tuesday, and the gunman was killed at 1pm - after a Border Patrol agent was given a key to the door, behind which the gunman was barricaded with the fourth grade class.

Javier Cazares, whose fourth grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, said he raced to the school when he heard about the shooting, arriving while police were still gathered outside the building.

Upset that police were not moving in, he raised the idea of charging into the school with several other bystanders.

'Let's just rush in because the cops aren't doing anything like they are supposed to,' he said.

'More could have been done. They were unprepared.'

He added: 'There was at least 40 lawmen armed to the teeth but didn't do a darn thing until it was far too late.

'The situation could've been over quick if they had better tactical training, and we as a community witnessed it firsthand.'

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'He was shooting everybody,' the state official said.

Olivarez told CNN that the shooter barricaded himself inside of a single classroom, and that it is inside that classroom where most or all of the 19 children and two teachers were killed. 

The children killed were believed to be third and fourth grade students. Robb Elementary serves grades two through four, officials said.

Police and state troopers arrived in time to hear gunshots inside a classroom where the man barricaded himself and began shooting children and teachers. 

Olivarez said some of the officers were shot by the gunman, so others began breaking windows around the school trying to evacuate children and teachers. 

Meanwhile, a nearby Customs and Border Protection tactical unit responded to provide backup.

Olivarez said 'tactical law enforcement' forced their way into the classroom, where 'they were met with gunfire as well but they were able to shoot and kill that suspect.' 

The unnamed agent who shot and killed Ramos is believed to be from the Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC), which has specialized agents dispersed throughout the United States. 

The BORTAC agent, whose identity has not yet been revealed, rushed into the school without waiting for backup.

Ramos was behind a barricade, returning fire, but the border patrol agent managed to shoot and kill the gunman before he could claim more victims.

'They came in from opposite sides. The BORTAC agent ended up exchanging gunfire with the shooter, killed the shooter, and I am told that the agent was injured in his leg,' reported Fox News.

'They are trying to figure out if he was shot in the leg or hit by shrapnel.'

More than a dozen children were also hurt in the attack, including a ten-year-old girl taken to hospital in the nearby city of San Antonio in critical condition. A 66-year-old woman - believed to be Ramos's grandmother who he shot at the start of his killing spree - was in the same hospital, also in critical.

A second hospital within Uvalde itself said 13 children had been brought to them, without saying what condition they are in. Police warned late Tuesday that the death toll is expected to rise.

The agent who ended Tuesday's school massacre by shooting and killing the Robb Elementary school gunman is reported to be part of an 'elite' Customs and Border Protection (CBP) tactical unit. Law enforcement personnel are pictured at the scene of the shooting

The agent who ended Tuesday's school massacre by shooting and killing the Robb Elementary school gunman is reported to be part of an 'elite' Customs and Border Protection (CBP) tactical unit. Law enforcement personnel are pictured at the scene of the shooting

Law enforcement work the scene after a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. The gunman, identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, was killed by law enforcement

Law enforcement work the scene after a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. The gunman, identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, was killed by law enforcement

The unnamed agent who shot and killed Ramos is believed to be from the Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC), which has specialized agents dispersed throughout the United States

The unnamed agent who shot and killed Ramos is believed to be from the Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC), which has specialized agents dispersed throughout the United States

Police work the scene after a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School where 19 children and two adults were killed

Police work the scene after a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School where 19 children and two adults were killed

The 19 children and two teachers butchered in Texas elementary school shooting

Amerie Jo Garza, 10

Amerie Jo Garza (right)

Amerie Jo Garza (right)

Amerie Jo Garza, a fourth grader at Robb Elementary, was one of 19 students confirmed to be killed Tuesday morning by Ramos, who cops say was carrying a handgun and an AR-15 during the attack that also killed two teachers in the classroom.

Her grandmother, Berlinda Irene Arreola, said the 10-year-old was killed as she tried to phone 911 while sitting next to her best friend, who ended up 'covered in her blood.'

Arreola said Ramos told the students and staffers inside the room, 'You're going to die,' before opening fire - shooting her granddaughter dead as she tried to phone for help.

'So the gunman went in and he told the children, 'You're going to die,' Berlinda told The Daily Beast.

'And [Amerie] had her phone and she called 911. And instead of grabbing it and breaking it or taking it from her, he shot her. She was sitting right next to her best friend. Her best friend was covered in her blood.' 

 
Uziyah Garcia

Uziyah Garcia

Uziyah Garcia, 8

Uziyah Garcia, the youngest victim at age eight, was also killed in the attack.

The child's family announced he was killed hours after announcing he was among the many children unaccounted for following the tragedy.

The boy's grandfather, Manny Renfro, broke the news early Wednesday after being notified by authorities.

'[He was] the sweetest little boy that I've ever known,' Renfro said. 'I'm not just saying that because he was my grandkid.'

Renfro recalled how Uziyah last visited him in San Angelo over spring break.

'We started throwing the football together and I was teaching him pass patterns.

'Such a fast little boy and he could catch a ball so good,' the grieving grandad said.

'There were certain plays that I would call that he would remember and he would do it exactly like we practiced.'

 

Makenna Elrod, 10

Makenna Lee Elrod

Makenna Lee Elrod

Makenna Elrod, 10, had also been among the missing in the chaos that followed the massacre, with her father, Brandon Elrod telling reporters at the time he feared 'she may not be alive.'

Her death was eventually confirmed by a family friend on Wednesday. 'It's pretty sad what this world's coming to,' the girl's father told local outlet KTRK after the shooting.

A mother of one of Makenna's friends lamented the loss in a post to Facebook. 

'Sweet Makenna Rest in Paradise!! My heart is shattered as my daughter Chloe loved her so much!!' the mom wrote. A relative Wednesday confirmed that the girl had been among the victims.

 

Xavier Lopez, 10

Xavier Lopez

Xavier Lopez

Xavier Lopez, 10, was the first student victim to be identified as one of Ramos' victims.

The child's mother, Felicha Martinez, told the Washington Post Tuesday that just hours before the massacre, the mom had been at the school to see her son participate an honor roll ceremony. 

She took a picture showing her son showing off his certificate.

In the last exchange she had with the child, the mom heartbreakingly told the boy that she was proud of him and that she loved him, giving him a hug goodbye - not knowing it would be the last time she would see him alive.

'He was funny, never serious and his smile… that smile I will never forget,' she recalled after learning of his death from police. 'It would always cheer anyone up.'

The boy's cousin, Lisa Garza, 54, of Arlington, said Xavier enjoyed swimming and had been looking forward to the summer.

'He was just a loving 10-year-old little boy, just enjoying life, not knowing that this tragedy was going to happen today,' she said. 

'He was very bubbly, loved to dance with his brothers, his mom. This has just taken a toll on all of us.'

Amelia Sandoval, Lopez's grandmother, said: 'It's just so hard... you send your kids to school thinking they are going to make it back home but they're not.'

 

Eliahana Torres, 10

Eliahana Cruz Torres

Eliahana Cruz Torres

Eliahana Cruz Torres, 10, had also been missing for hours until she was confirmed to be among the dead.

Adolfo Cruz, her great-grandfather, said she didn't want to attend school the day of the shooting - but was told by her family that she had to attend.

He said he remained outside the school gates throughout the night until he leanrned of her fate from local authorities.

'I hope she is alive,' he said at the time. 

Torres was an avid baseball player and played the sport in a local little league. 

 

Ellie Lugo, 10

Ellie Lugo

Ellie Lugo

Ellie Lugo was named as a victim of Tuesday's attack by her parents, with Steven Garcia and Jennifer Lugo confirming her death several hours after she was listed among the missing. 

'It's hard to issue out a statement on anything right now my mind is going at 1000 miles per hour… but I do wanna send our thoughts and prayers to those who also didn't make it home tonight!!! Our Ellie was a doll and was the happiest ever,' Steven Lugo said Wednesday.

'Mom and Dad love you never forget that and please try and stay by our side.'  

 

Nevaeh Bravo, 10

Nevaeh Bravo

Nevaeh Bravo

Nevaeh Bravo was confirmed to be among the dead late Tuesday, after her cousin posted on social media following the shooting to ask for helping the girl. 

Around 9 pm, she broke the news on Twitter.

'Unfortunately my beautiful Nevaeh was one of the many victims from todays tragedy,' she wrote.

Sje said the schoolchild was 'flying high' and asked for the family to be kept in people's prayers  

'Our Nevaeh has been found. She is flying with the angels above. We love you Navaeh very much princess.'

'Thank you for the support and help,' she wrote. 'Rest in peace my sweet girl, you didn't deserve this.'

Bravo's age could not immediately be confirmed.  

 

Tess Marie Mata

Tess Marie Mata

Tess Marie Mata was also among those to perish in the attack, her sister, Faith Mata, revealed in a post to Facebook Wednesday.

'I honestly have no words just sadness, confusion, and anger,' she wrote.

'I'm sad because we will never get to tag team on mom and dad again and tell each other how much we mean to each other, I'm confused because how can something like this happen to my sweet, caring, and beautiful sister, and I'm angry because a coward took you from us.'

Photos shared with the post showed Tess smiling in a baby photo, snuggling with a cat, doing gymnastics, flashing a peace sign, and posing in front of a large heart mural.

'Sissy I miss you so much, I just want to hold you and tell you how pretty you are, I want to take you outside and practice softball, I want to go on one last family vacation, I want to hear your contagious laugh, and I want you to hear me tell you how much I love you,' she wrote.

Her age could not immediately be confirmed.

 

Rojelio Torres, 10

Rojelio Torres

Rojelio Torres

Rojelio Torres, 10, was initially reported missing by his father, but on Wednesday was confirmed dead by his family.

A person who said she was the boy's cousin wrote on Twitter: 'It breaks my heart to say my rojelio is now with the angels I'll forever miss you and love you my angel.'

The child's father , Federico Torres, told Houston reporters that he was at work when he learned about the shooting and immediately raced to the school.

'They sent us to the hospital, to the civic center, to the hospital and here again, nothing, not even in San Antonio,' he said. 'They don't tell us anything, only a photo, wait, hope that everything is well.'

Nearly half a day later, cops broke the news to the boy's family.

'Our entire family waited almost 12 hours since the shooting to find out Rojelio Torres, my 10-year-old nephew, was killed in this tragedy,' Torres' aunt, Precious Perez, told KSAT. 'We are devastated and heartbroken. Rojer was a very intelligent, hard-working and helpful person. He will be missed and never forgotten.' 

 

Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10

Jayce Luevanos

Jayce Luevanos

Jayce Luevanos, 10, died in the shooting along with his ten-year-old cousin, Jailah, the child's mother said Wednesday.

In a Facebook post, uncle Unberto Gonzalez shared photos of both kids while offering a touching tribute.

'My babies going to miss them like crazy!!!,' Gonzalez wrote. 'We luv y'all so much!!! I'm just lost right now!!! Fly high my beautiful Angels!!'

 

Jailah Nicole Silguero, 10

Jailah Nicole Silguero

Jailah Nicole Silguero

Ten-year-old Jailah Nicole Silguero was also killed in the shooting, her mother, Veronica Luevanos, tearfully revealed to Univision Wednesday.

She also lost her 10-year-old nephew Jayce to the tragedy.

She said Jailah loved to dance and film videos on TikTok.

The child reportedly also asked her mom the morning of the shooting if she could stay home from school - a request the now mourning mom rebuffed. 

'I took her to school, but she didn't want to go. She told her father, 'Can I stay home?'' Luevanos said, noting that it was not a common occurrence for her daughter to make such a request. 'I think she knew something would happen.'

Luevanos' mom confirmed the loss on Facebook Wednesday.

'Fly high my angels. We're going to miss yall so much,' wrote Veronica Luevanos - whose dad had died just a week earlier.

'I'm so heart broken,' she wrote with a photo of her daughter and nephew. 

'My baby I love u so much … fly high baby girl.'

 

Alithia Ramirez, 10

Alithia Ramirez

Alithia Ramirez

 Fourth grader Alithia Ramirez was confirmed dead early Wednesday by her father, Ryan Ramirez, who shared a post to Facebook showing the 10-year-old with angel's wings. He had used the same photo the previous day as he pleaded for help finding her after the massacre

He had heartbreakingly used the same photo the previous day as he desperately pleaded for help finding her after the massacre.

'Trying to find my daughter Alithia. I called all the hospitals and nothing,' he wrote at the time.

He also reporters during his frantic search, 'I'm trying to find out where my baby's at.' 

 

Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10

Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez

Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez

Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10, was another killed by Ramos Tuesday - along with her cousin, who has yet to be identified.

Annabell's father spent the afternoon after the shooting in frantic search for his daughter. 

Speaking to KHOU11 Tuesday, he lamented at how he was at a loss as to what do, having little success with the search.

'They're not letting us in at the hospital right now so we don't know where to go.'

 She has since been declared to be among the dead.

 

Miranda Mathis, 11

Miranda Mathis

Miranda Mathis

Miranda Mathis, 11,  was also confirmed as another casualty from the mass shooting early Wednesday, in a Facebook post by an older cousin who earlier that day had posted a desperate plea for help in locating the child.

'My sweet baby cousin we loved u dearly,' Deanna Miller wrote alongside a photo of the child with angel wings.

'I'm so sorry this happen to u baby please keep my family in your prayers,' she grieved.

Miller's kids had also been at the school at the time of the shooting, but survived the attack.

One of her sons told her that they were ushered out of a window by staffers during the attack and subsequently ran to a nearby funeral home after 'he heard the shooter say he was gonna kill all the kids.'

 

Alexandria 'Lexi' Aniyah Rubio, 10

Alexandria Aniyah Rubio

Alexandria Aniyah Rubio

Alexandria Aniyah Rubio - who was better known to friends as 'Lexi' - was confirmed dead just before midnight on Tuesday.

The ten-year-old was shot dead just hours after posing for a photo with her parents at the school's honor roll ceremony.

Kimberly Mata-Rubio, the girl's mother, wrote of the loss: 'My beautiful, smart, Alexandria Aniyah Rubio was recognized today for All-A honor roll. She also received the good citizen award. We told her we loved her and would pick her up after school. We had no idea this was goodbye.' 

 

Maite Yuleana

Maite Yuleana

Maite Yuleana

Maite Yuleana was another student to die in the attack that had attended the honor roll ceremony just hours before.

A cousin of the girl's mother, Ana Rodriguez, announced the loss Wednesday. 

'It is with a heavy heart I come on here on behalf of my cousin Ana who lost her sweet baby girl in yesterday's senseless shooting.  

'We are deeply saddened by the lose [sic] of this sweet smart little girl…. God bless and may she R.I.P Maite Rodriguez we love you.'

Another relative shared a photo of Maite with her honor roll certificate.

Her age could not immediately be confirmed.

 

Jose Flores Jr, 10

Jose Flores

Jose Flores

Jose Flores, 10, was also killed in the shooting after attending the honor roll ceremony, where he was pictured triumphantly clutching a certificate celebrating the accomplishment.

Uncle Christopher Salazar confirmed to the Washington Post Wednesday that his 10-year-old nephew was among the dead, after sharing a tribute to the child on Facebook.

'I love you and I miss you,' Salazar wrote in the post.  

The boy's father described Jose to CNN as an amazing boy and big brother to his two younger siblings.

'He was always fill of energy,' Jose Flores Sr. said. 'Ready to play till the night.'

He said the boy loved playing baseball and video games.

 
Jackie Cazares

Jackie Cazares

Jackie Cazares, 10

Jackie Cazares, 10, was another to be killed during the vicious attack at the elementary school.

Her father Jacinto confirmed she lost her life inside her fourth-grade classroom.

'My baby girl has been taken away from my family and I,' the grieving father said in an online post.

'We're devastated in ways I hope no one ever goes through. ... It hurts us to our souls.'

Cazares said his daughter, who was with her cousin, Annabell Rodriguez, when she died, was 'full of life and love'.

 

Layla Salazar, 10

The 10-year-old student was the last of the slaying victims to be identified.

Vincent Salazar told the Philadelphia Inquirer his young daughter was among those killed.

He said she was 'a lot of fun' and recalled how they sang along to 'Sweet Child O' Mine' by Guns 'n' Roses whenever he drove her to school.   

Layla Salazar

Layla Salazar

 

Irma Garcia, 46 - fourth grade teacher

Irma Garcia

Irma Garcia

Irma Garcia, who co-taught with Mireles for the last five year, had been at Robb Elementary for 23 years. 

Married to Joe for 24 years, she was a mother of four - Cristian, completing Marine boot camp; Jose, attending Texas State university University; Lyliana, a sophomore in high school; and Alysandra, a 7th grader. 

'My tia did not make it, she sacrificed herself protecting the kids in her classroom, i beg of you to keep my family including all of her family in y'all's prayers , IRMA GARCIA IS HER NAME and she died a HERO,' tweeted her nephew John. 

'She was loved by many and will truly be missed.'

She was nominated as teacher of the year for the 2018-19 awards, organized by Trinity University. 

 

Eva Mireles, 44 - fourth grade teacher

Eva Mireles

Eva Mireles

Eva Mireles, a fourth grade teacher, was identified by her family as being one of the staff members shot dead. She had worked in education for 17 years. 

Her husband Ruben Ruiz, a veteran detective and SWAT team member currently serving as a police officer with the school district, held regular active shooter drills for the schools - most recently at the end of March. 

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