Uvalde shooting Friday updates: Gov. Abbott 'livid' about being misled on police response

Authorities are still piecing together what happened after a gunman opened fire at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday, killing 19 students and two teachers.

Victor Escalon, South Texas regional director for the Department of Public Safety, said the gunman — identified as Salvador Ramos, an 18-year-old Uvalde resident — was in the school for about an hour before being fatally shot.

Texas officials are scrutinizing law enforcement's response to the incident, questioning if they acted fast enough as community members pleaded for officers to storm the building where the shooter had barricaded himself in a fourth grade classroom where most of the victims died.

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, is calling for a federal investigation, saying the people of Uvalde "deserve an accurate account of what transpired" in a letter to the FBI.

President Joe Biden is expected to visit Uvalde on Sunday to meet with the families of the victims.

Follow along for live updates from the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting and its aftermath Friday. This story will be updated throughout the day.

Live NRA convention updates: Convention underway in Houston days after Uvalde shooting

'I am livid.' Gov. Abbott says he was misled about police action during Uvalde shooting

Gov. Greg Abbott, speaking in Uvalde on Friday afternoon hours after law enforcement acknowledged that officers were blocked from engaging the shooter that killed 21 people in Robb Elementary School, said he was "absolutely livid" over inaccurate information about the shooting response that he was provided, and then passed on to the public, two days earlier.

'I am livid': Gov. Abbott says he was misled about police action during Uvalde shooting

"I was misled," Abbott told assembled reporters. "I am livid about what happened. I was on this very stage two days ago, and I was telling the public information that had been told to me. ... I wrote down hand notes, in detail, about what everybody in that room told me in sequential order, about what happened."

The bad information led Abbott to commend officers for their bravery in running toward the gunfire.

"As everyone has learned, the information that I was given turned out in part to be inaccurate, and I am absolutely livid about that," he said.

- Staff writer Chuck Lindell

Watch Gov. Abbott:  Governor gives Friday update on Uvalde shooting

Officers mistakenly blocked from Uvalde classroom during Texas school shooting, DPS chief says

Nineteen police officers were massed outside the Uvalde classroom but stopped from trying to break through the locked door by an incident commander who believed no more lives were at risk. Frantic 911 calls from children inside, however, proved that decision was a mistake, the state's top law officer said Friday.

"With the benefit of hindsight, where I'm sitting now, of course it was not the right decision. It was the wrong decision," said Steve McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

"Clearly there were kids in the room. Clearly they were at risk," he said.

The decision to end the active-shooter response meant the commander believed there was time to retrieve keys to the classroom door from a janitor and for a Border Patrol tactical team to arrive, McCraw said.

But for 77 minutes, according to a new timeline provided by McCraw, the shooter traveled between two classrooms connected by a shared bathroom while students and teachers were calling 911 for help, including a girl who begged: "Please send police now."

Asked why 911 operators did not inform officers that people were still alive inside, changing the situation back to an active-shooter response that demanded immediate action, McCraw said he did not yet have that answer.

"When there is an active shooter, the rules change. ... You don't have time," he said. "You keep shooting until the subject is dead."

- Staff writer Chuck Lindell

DPS chief: Officers mistakenly blocked from Uvalde classroom during Texas school shooting

Gov. Greg Abbott says gun restrictions don’t stop mass shootings in remarks to NRA

In pre-recorded remarks that played at Friday’s convention, Gov. Greg Abbott repeated his assertion that gun regulations do little to prevent mass shooting events.

“There are thousands of laws on the books across the country that limit the owning or using of firearms, laws that have not stopped madmen from carrying out evil acts on innocent people in peaceful communities,” Abbott said.

He noted that the shooter in Uvalde “committed a felony under Texas law before he even pulled the trigger” by possessing a firearm on school property.

“But that did not stop him,” Abbott said.

His remarks were similar to those he shared in Uvalde on Wednesday. He offered prayers to the community in Uvalde and applauded those who acted to help save students during the attack, today focusing on the role of teachers instead of law enforcement officers.

"These men and women are heroes for their fearless defense of the children in their charge,” he said.

- Staff writer Madlin Mekelburg

The weapon: The AR-15 rifle, the gun used to kill 21 people in Uvalde, often used in mass shootings

Beto O’Rourke to NRA: 'Join us now or be left behind'

In an impassioned call to action against gun violence, Democrat Beto O’Rourke said “the time for us to stop the next mass shooting in this country is right now, right here today with every single one of us.”

“We are counting on each other. Our kids are counting on us,” O'Rourke said, speaking from the stage at a protest at Discovery Green park in Houston. “Our descendants are looking back on this moment from the future to see if we are going to stand and fight for them or leave them to be slaughtered. We cannot be found wanting.”

O’Rourke, who is running for governor, also made a direct address to NRA leaders and supporters, calling on them to “join us to make sure that this no longer happens in this country.”

Here are his remarks to the advocacy group in full:

“To those who are attending the NRA convention across the street: You are not our enemies, we are not yours. We extend our hand, open and unarmed, as a gesture of peace and fellowship, to welcome you to join us to make sure that this no longer happens in this country. But the time for you to respond and join us is now. We cannot wait any longer for you. Those who will be the victims of the next mass shooting, unless we act, are counting on us at this moment. Please join us now, or be left behind.

“To the leadership of the NRA and to those politicians that you have purchased, to those men and women in positions of power who care more about your power than using that power to save the lives of those you are supposed to serve, if you have done anything good it is the fact that you have brought us here together and that we are committing ourselves to act. We will defeat you and we will overcome you and we will leave you behind.”

- Staff writer Madlin Mekelburg

Calls begin for special session on gun violence

Some Democrats and at least one Republican are urging Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special legislative session to address gun violence in light of the school shooting in Uvalde.

In a tweet, Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, said state officials should continue to offer prayers for the community, but there is also a need to “DO something.”

“Governor Abbott should call us into special sessions until we do SOMETHING The FBI or DPS BELIEVE will lessen the chance of the next Uvalde Tragedy,” said Seliger, who announced last year he was not seeking reelection.

The governor is the only official who can order state lawmakers back to the Texas Capitol for a special legislative session and set the agenda for legislators.

Editorial: Another school shooting. This time in Uvalde. How many more children must die?

Two Democrats running for statewide office also issued calls for a special session on Friday: Mike Collier, who is running for lieutenant governor, and Rochelle Garza, a candidate for attorney general.

“In three months, millions of Texas children will head back to their classrooms,” they said in a joint statement. “Before then, the State Legislature must convene for a special session to pass laws that will lessen the chance of another tragedy befalling our state. Our children need action because the moment to stop the next shooting is now.”

- Staff writer Madlin Mekelburg

Texas attorney general provides guidance for charitable giving after Uvalde

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton warned Texans in a media release to be aware of scammers after the school shooting in Uvalde.

“Texans have come together in the wake of the tragic killings at Robb Elementary, to comfort and aid one another in this time of unspeakable grief. Texans are giving blood, and anxious to do whatever they can to alleviate the suffering,” the office of the attorney general wrote. “Unfortunately, there are some individuals who may try to take advantage of tragedy to perpetrate scams.”

Best practices for avoiding scams include giving through verified platforms like GoFundMe and not wiring money or confirming personal information like a Social Security number, according to the release. CharityWatch and Guidestar are two websites that provide information on the validity of donors and nonprofits, the attorney general’s office said.

Lt. Gov. Patrick joins Gov. Abbott in canceling NRA appearance

Thursday night, Gov. Greg Abbott canceled today's scheduled in-person appearance at a National Rifle Association convention in Houston, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick followed suit Friday morning.

Instead, Abbott will appear at the NRA gathering via a video recording and will travel to Uvalde for an update and news conference about state resources for people affected by a mass shooting in the South Texas city.

Patrick said his decision came after "prayerful consideration and discussion with NRA officials."

“While a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and an NRA member, I would not want my appearance today to bring any additional pain or grief to the families and all those suffering in Uvalde," he said. “This is a time to focus on the families, first and foremost.”

Earlier this week, the NRA recommitted to holding its annual convention over the weekend after a gunman entered Robb Elementary School and killed 21 people, the deadliest school shooting in the United States in a decade.

Entertainers Lee Greenwood and Larry Gatlin also have pulled out of the NRA conference.

"We have decided to cancel the appearance out of respect for those mourning the loss of those innocent children and teachers in Uvalde," Greenwood said in a statement Thursday.

Former President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he will attend the convention as planned.

Hospital releases 1 of 3 children from Uvalde school shooting

University Hospital in San Antonio has released an unidentified 10-year-old girl, the first of three children who were being treated at the San Antonio center after Tuesday's attack on Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.

Still being treated, according to the hospital:

• A 10-year-old girl in serious condition.

• A 9-year-old girl in good condition.

The shooter's 66-year-old grandmother, who had been shot in the face before the gunman took her pickup to the school, also remains in the hospital in serious condition.

McConnell signals Republicans willing to engage on limited gun measures 'directly related' to Uvalde

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday he wants GOP lawmakers to work with Democrats on a legislative solution to address the elementary school shooting in Uvalde.

In what could be a potential breakthrough on gun legislation, McConnell told CNN he met with Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and encouraged him to engage with key Democratic senators "in trying to get an outcome that's directly related to the problem. And so I am hopeful that we could come up with a bipartisan solution that's directly related to the facts of this awful massacre."

Asked if he thought the potential areas of compromise would include red flag laws, background checks or mental health issues, McConnell said he's asked Cornyn "to meet with the Democrats who are interested in getting a bipartisan solution and come up with a proposal, if possible, that's crafted to meet this particular problem."

- USA Today Reporter Ledyard King

More: McConnell signals Republicans willing to engage on limited gun measures 'directly related' to Uvalde

CNN: Fourth-grader smeared friend’s blood on herself to appear dead during Uvalde shooting

Miah Cerrillo, an 11-year-old who survived the shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, told CNN she smeared her friend's blood on herself to appear dead.

She said Eva Mireles and Irma Garcia — her teachers who both died in the shooting — got an email about a shooter in the school while she and her classmates were watching "Lilo & Stitch,” CNN reported.

According to a CNN reporter, one of the teachers went to the door and made eye contact with the gunman. He backed her into the classroom, made eye contact with her again, said "good night" and then shot and killed the teacher.

Then, he opened fire, killing many of Miah’s friends and hitting Miah with bullet fragments in her back, on her shoulders and the back of her head. Afterwards, he went into a nearby classroom, and Miah heard screams, more gunfire and music.

"She thinks it was the gunman that put it on. He started blasting sad music," said CNN reporter Nora Neus. "She just said it sounded like 'I want people to die' music."

A look at the 19 children and two teachers who were killed in the Uvalde, Texas, shooting

Families and friends are mourning the loss of the 21 victims of the Uvalde school shooting. The list of confirmed victims, according to American-Statesman reporters, currently is:

• Eva Mireles, teacher

• Irma Garcia, teacher

• Neveah Bravo, 10

• Jacklyn 'Jackie' Cazares, 10

• Makenna Lee Elrod, 10

• Jose Flores, 10

• Amerie Jo Garza, 10

• Eliahna "Ellie" Garcia, 9

• Uziyah Garcia, 8

• Xavier James Lopez, 10

• Jayce Luevanos, 10

• Tess Marie Mata,

• Maranda Mathis, 11

• Alithia Ramirez, 10

• Annabell Rodriguez, 10

• Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, 10

• Alexandria "Lexi" Aniyah Rubio, 10

• Layla Salazar, 11

• Jailah Silguero, 10

• Eliahana Cruz Torres, 10

• Rojelio Torres, 10

Uvalde victims: 'He was our baby': Families share stories of those who died in Uvalde school shooting

After Texas school shooting, students walk out for gun law reform

When Maddie Ahmadi, 17, got home Tuesday afternoon and heard the news of the Uvalde, Texas school massacre, she knew she had to do something, and she knew she needed to do it quickly.

Ahmadi, a junior at Essex High School in Vermont who serves on the national advisory board of Students Demand Action, decided a walkout was the only option: "Our lives are more important than schoolwork," she said. Ahmadi blasted out calls to action on social media and notified her school's administration.

"This didn't feel like a time to ask for permission," she said.

The demonstration took place midmorning Wednesday. It became the first of a string of student walkouts across the country in response to Tuesday's massacre, most of them at noon ET/9 a.m. PT Thursday and largely coordinated by local chapters of Students Demand Action, a youth-led organization that advocates for stronger gun control.

- USA Today reporters Alia Wong and Chris Quintana

Students walk out: 'This didn't feel like a time to ask permission': After Texas school shooting, students walk out for gun law reform

Ted Cruz walks away from interview after question on US mass shootings

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, walked away from an interview after a reporter asked him why some mass shootings happen “only in America,” in the wake of the shooting at a Texas elementary school this week.

Cruz responded that it’s “easy to go to politics.” When the Sky News reporter Mark Stone called gun reform at the “heart of the issue,” Cruz criticized gun reform measures proposed by Democratic lawmakers and journalists.

“But why does this only happen in your country? I really think that’s what many people around the world just … they cannot fathom,” Stone responded. “Why only in America? Why is this American exceptionalism so awful.”

Cruz responded during the back-and-forth, “I’m sorry you think American exceptionalism is awful,” before telling the reporter "you've got your political agenda."

- USA Today reporter Marina Pitofsky

Ted Cruz questioned: Ted Cruz walks away from interview after question on US mass shootings: 'Your political agenda'

NRA plans to hold annual convention in Houston days after Uvalde shooting

Even as a gunman mowed down 19 fourth graders and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, the NRA is drawing A-list politicians to its annual convention 300 miles away in Houston.

Former President Donald Trump, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and other officials were scheduled to speak Friday at a leadership forum set to kick off the gathering, according to the NRA web site.

“The entire state of Texas, the entire country, are grieving horrifically,” Cruz told NBC after the shooting in Texas Tuesday, but he said Thursday that he would still head to the NRA convention.

“I’m going to be there because what Democrats and the press try to do in the wake of every mass shooting is they try to demonize law-abiding gun owners, try to demonize the NRA,” the senator told the CBS affiliate in Dallas.

- USA Today reporters Donovan Slack and David Jackson

More on the NRA convention: In Uvalde, families grieve. In Houston, 300 miles across Texas, the NRA will hold its annual convention

What you need to know Friday: Uvalde, Texas school shooting

Thursday's updates: Father of 9-year-old victim says parents pleaded for police to confront gunman and more about what we learned Thursday

Remembering the victims: 19 elementary students died in the Uvalde school shooting. Here's what we know about them

'The pain doesn't stop': Joe Garcia, husband of Texas teacher killed in Uvalde shooting, dies of heart attack

Presidential visit to Uvalde: Biden to travel to Texas to comfort families of school shooting victims

Calls for reform amid gun violence: Tragedy in Uvalde sparks a familiar debate: Are guns the problem, or the solution?

Memorial services: Uvalde funeral homes pledge to provide free services for victims

How to help: Uvalde Strong Fund, fundraisers set up for victims of Texas school shooting. How to help.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Here's what we learned about the Uvalde school shooting on Friday