An 18-year-old gunman opened fire on Tuesday afternoon (May 24) at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 children, two teacher and injuring others. The gunman was also dead, likely killed by responding officers, though the events are still being investigated, according to Governor Greg Abbott.
The latest act of violence in the United States was the deadliest shooting in a U.S. grade school since the 2012 attack at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., according to the Associated Press. It was also the 27th school shooting with injuries this year and, according to the Gun Violence Archive, the 212th mass shooting of 2022.
Law enforcement said that the gunman had a handgun, AR-15 and high-capacity magazines in his possession. Robb Elementary School has nearly 600 students in the second, third and fourth grades. Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Chief of Police Pete Arredondo did not provide ages of the children who were shot at the time of publication.
Following the heartbreaking news, celebrities are speaking up to express outrage over the lack of gun control in the country, demand change from lawmakers and mourn the loss of 15 innocent lives. During her Tuesday concert in L.A., Olivia Rodrigo said she was “so heartbroken” after the latest mass shooting. “We need stricter gun control laws in America,” she told concertgoers.
Taylor Swift called spoke out by tweeting for the first time since the end of January. “Filled with rage and grief, and so broken by the murders in Uvalde. By Buffalo, Laguna Woods and so many others,” she wrote. “By the ways in which we, as a nation, have become conditioned to unfathomable and unbearable heartbreak.”
New mom Halsey, who welcomed son Ender last summer, shared their horror in an Instagram story and called out lawmakers for protecting firearms instead. “Just like many of you, as a mother I’m scared,” the singer-songwriter wrote in part. “As a big sister I’m scared. As a citizen I’m angry. I can’t think of anything to say besides make sure you’re registered to vote. I just want all school age children to be protected and not grow up in the epicenter of this trauma. It is so futile and revolting that lawmakers protect guns over our youth. It’s despicable.”
See more reactions on social media from artists including Britney Spears, Lauren Jauregui, Offset, Bette Midler and more below.
14 babies bro. 14.
— PRELUDE (@LaurenJauregui) May 24, 2022
We living in some TRYING TIMES… It’s Heavy…😞I am praying for everyone that is struggling MENTALLY/FINANCIALLY/PHYSICALLY that some PEACE be RESTORED! So many in the world is dealing with pain & I don’t have the answers but I send you LOVE virtually💜🙏🏾
— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) May 25, 2022
WHAT IN GOD'S NAME ARE WE DOING? THIS HAS GOT TO CHANGE! THIS NATION IS FULL OF PEOPLE WHO CANNOT CONTROL THEIR WORST IMPULSES AND THE INNOCENT ALWAYS PAY THE PRICE! DON'T SAVE FETUSES ONLY TO HAVE THEM DIE AT SCHOOL BECAUSE YOU LOVE YOUR GUNS MORE THAN LIFE! FOR SHAME!!
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) May 24, 2022
Prayers for the people in Texas man those are kids that were killed smh this world needs God smh
— OFFSET (@OffsetYRN) May 24, 2022
Our hearts go out to those in texas at the Robb elementary school and everyone effected. Something has to change in this country. We are the only country where kids go to school and could wind up shot.
— THE CHAINSMOKERS (@TheChainsmokers) May 24, 2022
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Just last week a targeted mass shooting at a market in Buffalo and now a school shooting in Uvalde. Communities should be safe in their grocery stores, our CHILDREN should be safe in class! This has to end.
Thoughts and prayers aren’t enough. We need change. 💔
— Becky G. (@iambeckyg) May 24, 2022
it makes me sick this is the 27th one this year. my heart goes out to the families affected in TX. ❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹
— blackbear (@iamblackbear) May 24, 2022
We need to make some changes now
— jon batiste (@JonBatiste) May 24, 2022
jesus fucking christ. no more.
— Lauv (@lauvsongs) May 24, 2022
Another mass shooting in Texas resulting in 14 children and 1 adult dead. This time perpetrated by an 18 year old.
One thing we can count on is that ABSOLUTELY NOTHING is going to be done about it.— Antonio Sanchez 💀 (@AntonioDrumsX) May 24, 2022
We'd like to believe that we live in the land of the free and the home of the brave, but we don't. We are can't find the collective courage to get rid of the politicians who sit on their bloody hands when it comes to gun control but at the same time call themselves "pro life” pic.twitter.com/gCNNsfrTUL
— John Mellencamp (@johnmellencamp) May 25, 2022
they will never make it harder to get guns.
— Dr. LALAH HATHAWAY (@lalahhathaway) May 24, 2022
YOU ARE LITERAL TRASH. https://t.co/BooJD1mPDQ
— Dr. LALAH HATHAWAY (@lalahhathaway) May 24, 2022
My thoughts and prayers goes out to the families of love ones loss & injured at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX! Like when is enough enough man!!! These are kids and we keep putting them in harms way at school. Like seriously "AT SCHOOL" where it's suppose to be the safest!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 24, 2022
There simply has to be change! HAS TO BE!! 😔😔😔😔🥺🥺🥺🥺.. Praying to the heavens above to all with kids these days in schools. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 24, 2022
Are you happy now, Governor Abbott? I guess you are. https://t.co/cKJNgHd2wj
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) May 24, 2022
Watch this please https://t.co/QzBNHMLLWm
— Peter Frampton (@peterframpton) May 24, 2022
No one can be untouched by this tragedy today I see it has made a lot of people rightly very angry I can’t stop thinking about all the parents who’ve lost a child today “They” say it will never end & I don’t believe that “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore”
— Peter Frampton (@peterframpton) May 25, 2022
26 years ago, a gunman entered
Dunblane Primary School in Scotland,
killing 16 kids and a teacher. The UK
govt responded by enacting tight gun
control legislation. In the 9400+ days
since, there have been a total of O
school shootings in the UK. #Uvalde— Peter Frampton (@peterframpton) May 24, 2022
Desperate cries and aggressive prayers right now … what is happening in our world ???
— israelnewbreed (@israelnewbreed) May 24, 2022
ABSOLUTELY. In the original code. https://t.co/qqnATzqQEu
— Dr. LALAH HATHAWAY (@lalahhathaway) May 24, 2022
✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️ https://t.co/wqbQuoV77s
— Dr. LALAH HATHAWAY (@lalahhathaway) May 24, 2022
there are more guns than people in the USA.
— Dr. LALAH HATHAWAY (@lalahhathaway) May 24, 2022
👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 https://t.co/QwZ6DokyJe
— Richard Marx (@richardmarx) May 24, 2022
Fuck you @NRA Fuck you, every elected official who’s voted against gun reform. Fuck you @GregAbbott_TX and fuck you, every Republican voter who claims to be “pro-life” but don’t actually give the slightest shit about humans once their born. You are ignorant and complicit.
— Richard Marx (@richardmarx) May 24, 2022