More details and reactions emerge about the Texas school shooting and gunman

Two family members of one of the victims killed in Tuesday's shooting at Robb Elementary School comfort each other during a prayer vigil in Uvalde, Texas, Wednesday, May 25, 2022.
Jae C. Hong/AP

Two days after an 18-year-old gunman shot and killed 19 children and two adults at a Texas elementary school, officials have released more information, while Americans across the nation continue to express shock and grief at the incident.

Here are the latest developments:

The gunman shot his grandmother before heading to the school

The gunman shot his grandmother in the face and posted on social media about it 15 minutes before fleeing and driving to Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott said at a Wednesday press conference.

"Anyone who shoots his grandmother in the face has to have evil in his heart, but it is far more evil for someone to gun down little kids," he said.

Turn Up Your Support

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.

The massacre lasted at least 40 minutes

Approximately 40 minutes to an hour passed between when the gunman first arrived at Robb Elementary and fired a shot at a security guard to when he was killed by a Border Patrol agent, according to The Associated Press.

Witnesses shouted at police to go into the school after the gunman, but the officers did not do so initially.

One man, Juan Carranza, who lives across the street from the school and saw the gunman pull up in a truck, eventually suggested to the civilians gathered outside that they charge the school building as law enforcement waited, AP reported.

Texas Rangers are leading the investigation into the shooting, Abbott said.

Former congressman Beto O'Rourke interrupts Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's remarks

As Abbott prepared to close his remarks, former congressman and 2020 presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke interrupted the governor.

"You are doing nothing," O'Rourke said. "This is totally predictable. You're all doing nothing."

A variety of responses can be heard in the background, including, "sit down," "you're out of line and an embarrassment" and "let him talk."

Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin said, "I can't believe you're a sick son of a b**** to come to a deal like this to make a political issue."

O'Rourke, who is running against Abbott in the state's 2022 gubernatorial election, then left the auditorium.

He spoke to media outside the auditorium about Abbott, saying, "The only thing he did was make it easier to carry a gun in public. And he bragged about the fact that there would be no background check, no training, no vetting whatsoever. He talked about this was evil. The only thing evil is what he continues to do to the people of this state."

NBA team urges fans to call lawmakers over gun control

At a Wednesday night playoff game, the Miami Heat basketball team urged fans to call their lawmakers to advocate for gun reform laws after 19 children and two adults were killed at the Uvalde elementary school shooting.

"The Heat urges you to contact your state senators by calling 202-224-3121 to leave a message demanding their support for common sense gun laws," the stadium announcer said as the team geared up to play the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the teams' playoff series.

The team, which was facing the Boston Celtics, held a moment of silence before the announcement.