The flags at the San Diego County Administration center were lowered to half-staff today, as directed by Board of Supervisors Chairman Nathan Fletcher, in honor of the victims of today's mass shooting at a Texas Elementary School.
The assault at Robb Elementary school in the predominatly Latino town of Uvalde was carried out by an 18-year-old man armed with a handgun and possibly a rifle, according to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Officials say this was the deadliest shooting at a U.S grade school in almost a decade since 20 children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conneticut.
"Gun violence has once again taken the lives of innocent schoolchildren,'' Fletcher said in response to the shooting, which left at least 19 students dead at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, a small city west of San Antonio. The death toll also included two adults, authorities said.
Abbott said at least 19 children and at two adults were killed during the shooting. One of the two adults was a teacher.
"Our nation is traumatized, our families are hurting, and we grieve deeply with the children, parents and teachers in the state of Texas as they grapple with this unconscionable act of violence,'' Fletcher said. "We must resolve to never give up the fight for commonsense federal gun safety legislation.''
According to Abbott, the gunman, Salvador Ramos, was killed by law enforcement.
The attack came 10 days after an 18 year-old white man wearing military gear livestreamed a racist rampage at a supermarket in Buffalo, N.Y. Police say he shot 11 Black and two White victims before surrendering to authorities.
