A chilling video has emerged that captures the moment the suspected gunman entered the school building with a handgun before opening fire on students and teachers. Salvador Ramos, the suspect who opened fire at a Texas elementary school killing more than 21 people on Tuesday afternoon, can be seen just outside the school building moments before he went on a shooting spree.
Ramos, 18, was shot dead on the scene by a hero Border Patrol agent who ran into the school with a tactical support team and killed him while he was barricaded inside and was exchanging gunfire with other police officers.
Spine-Chilling Moment
The chilling video that has emerged on social media shows Ramos inside the compound of Robb Elementary School with a gun in his hand. Wearing body armor and equipped with arms, Ramos can be seen approaching one of the doors of the school building before he opens fire on the students and teachers inside the building.
It is not clear from the video what arms Ramos was carrying but police said that he possibly was equipped with a handgun and an assault rifle. Also, photos from outside the school show a pickup truck that crashed outside the building, which, according to Governor Gleg Abbott, was abandoned by Ramos before entering the school.
"The suspect made entry into the school and as soon as he made entry into the school he started shooting children, teachers, whoever's in his way," Christopher Olivarez of the Texas Department of Public Safety told local media.
According to Abbott, Ramos was a student at Uvalde High School in the little city 80 miles (130 kilometers) west of San Antonio. According to state Sen Roland Gutierrez, who was briefed by police, Ramos had intimated on social media that an attack could be coming.
"He suggested the kids should watch out," Gutierrez said.
Kills and Gets Killed
The tragedy in Uvalde was the deadliest school shooting in Texas history, adding to a tragic record in a state that has seen some of the country's bloodiest shootings in the last five years. Ramos was killed but not before shooting dead 21 people including two adults, one being a teacher at the school.
Wild scenes were captured on video outside the school as gunfire emerged inside. Parents and bystanders can be seen rushing for cover they were still clueless what was happening inside the school.
Ramos's young victims were aged between seven and 11, CNN's Ed Lavandera reported.
One video shows students running out of the school as police officers help them out, while gunshots can still be heard from inside the building.
Earlier on Tuesday, an Instagram account that appears to belong to Ramos sent direct messages to a teenager in Los Angeles, telling her he wanted to share a "lil secret," according to screenshots shared by the recipient, who said she barely knew Ramos but had been randomly tagged by him in photos of guns before.
Ramos is also believed to have shot his grandmother before entering the school and opening fire, said Governor Greg Abbott. The grandma was flown to the hospital in an unclear state.
According to police, the gunfight continued for over 15-20 minutes. Finally, Ramos was shot and killed by border patrol personnel who arrived on the spot with a tactical team. One of the agents was hurt, but he is expected to make a full recovery.
Besides the 21 dead, 13 youngsters and a 45-year-old male with a "graze" are being treated at the Uvalde Memorial emergency hospital. A child's status is presently unclear, while a 66-year-old lady is in critical condition, according to University Health San Antonio.
