UVALDE, Texas — One student was an avid runner, so fast she swept all the races on Field Day. Another was learning football plays from his grandfather. One girl sensed something was wrong and wanted to skip school.
Stories began to emerge Wednesday about the lives of the 19 fourth-graders, described by the school district superintendent as “precious individuals,” and their teachers who were gunned down behind a barricaded door at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
“Violence. Guns. I’m a cop. I’m a deputy here in Uvalde county,” said victim Lexi Rubio’s father, Felix Rubio. “This is enough. This is enough. No one else needs to go through this. We never needed to go through this, but we are.”
Some 17 others were also hurt but are expected to survive. There is still no word on a motive, but eyes turn to the shooter’s family. Cameras were right there as the suspect’s grandfather arrived at his home. The FBI was still inside gathering evidence.
Investigators say Ramos lived with his grandparents at the house and shot his grandmother in the face before the school shooting. His grandmother called 911.
When asked by the media, the grandfather says he expected his wife to survive. He also told reporters he didn’t expect this from his grandson and wasn’t aware his grandson had guns inside the family home.
Gov. Abbot says the suspect had no criminal record but is looking into whether or not he had a juvenile record. He also says authorities had no real warning about the shooting in the days before the attack, but that the suspected gunman did share intentions on Facebook 30 minutes prior.
We are now seeing the text conversation captured just moments before the shooting.
“You know what I’m going to do right now?” he writes.
“Tell me,” is the response.
“I can’t because my grandpa hasn’t left.”
“I’m waiting for this dude to leave.”
Shortly after 11 a.m. Texas time, the suspect complains about his grandmother and his phone bill.
“I’m waiting for this expletive.”
“I’m gonna do something to her right now.”
“She’s on with AT&T about my phone.”
“It’s annoying.”
Five minutes pass and then:
“I just shot my grandma in her head.”
“Ima go shoot up an elementary school rn (right now).”
We are also learning the father of a child killed says police were slow to move in and were unprepared.
Javier Cazares is the father of fourth-grader Jacklyn Cazares, one of 19 children who died.
Cazares says he raced to school when he heard about the shooting and arrived while police were still massed outside the building. Cazares says he was upset that police weren’t charging and raised to idea of going inside himself with several others.
A school neighbor, Juan Carranza, says onlookers shouted at officers to go inside but they didn’t.
Authorities say the massacre inside a locked classroom lasted upwards of 40 minutes and ended when the 18-year-old shooter was killed by a Border Patrol team.
A law enforcement official familiar with the investigation says Border Patrol agents had trouble breaching the classroom door and had to get a staff member to open the room with a key.
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