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19 Children, 2 Teachers Killed in Robb Elementary School Shooting

Officials say the shooter, who was armed with a handgun and an assault rifle, barricaded himself in a fourth-grade classroom where he killed at least 21 people.

UVALDE, Texas – Nineteen students and two teachers were killed by an 18-year-old gunman at an elementary school in Texas on Tuesday.

Before heading to Robb Elementary School, officials say Salvador Ramos, who was a student at Uvalde High School, shot his grandmother, reports CBS News. He then crashed his vehicle outside the school and entered the building around 11:32 a.m.

Lt. Christopher Olivarez of the Texas Department of Public Safety said the shooter, who was wearing body armor, barricaded himself in a fourth-grade classroom and “just began shooting numerous children and teachers that were in that classroom.” Two law enforcement officials said the suspect had a handgun, an AR-15 assault weapon, and high-capacity magazines.

When tactical law enforcement officers arrived, they were able to make forcible entry into the classroom. Gunfire was exchanged and multiple officers were shot, including a Border Patrol agent who was able to walk out of the school. The gunman was killed by responding officers.

Olivarez said all of the victims were in that one classroom, reports The Associated Press. Seventeen others were injured in the rampage.

Victims who have been identified by their families include teachers Irma Garcia and Eva Mireles, and students Nevaeh Bravo, Jackie Cazares, Makenna Elrod, Jose Flores, Eliana Garcia, Uziyah Garcia, Amerie Garza, Xavier Lopez, Jayce Luevanos, Tess Mata, Maranda Mathis, Alithia Ramirez, Annabell Rodriguez, Maite Rodriguez, Alexandria Rubio, Layla Salazar, Jailah Silguero, Eliahana Torres, and Rojelio Torres. The shooter’s grandmother, who is said to have survived but whose condition is unknown, previously work at Robb Elementary but left in 2020.

Reunification Center Set Up for Uvalde Families

After the shooting, Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District (UCISD) urged residents to stay away from the school. Students were evacuated and brought to the SSGT Willie de Leon Civic Center which served as a reunification center.

At approximately 2:00 p.m. local time, the district said parents were cleared to pick up their children. Dozens of families waited for hours to receive updates on their children, according to The Texas Tribune.

Law enforcement, crisis counselors and local officials offered support to waiting families. Officials had to take DNA samples of some parents to confirm whether their child had died. Just before midnight, the estimated 30 to 40 people who still remained were informed their children did not survive.

Uvalde, which is located 85 miles west of San Antonio, has a predominantly Hispanic population of 15,200 people. Robb Elementary serves children in the second, third, and fourth grades, and has about 600 students.

The mass shooting is the deadliest school shooting since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012 that took the lives of 26 people, including 20 children aged six and seven. It is also the deadliest school shooting in Texas history. In 2018, a gunman fatally shot 10 people at Santa Fe High School.

Mary Fowler, who worked at UCISD for three decades as a physical therapist and whose grandson was at the school during the shooting, told The Texas Tribune it had just started to feel like the small town had turned a corner after the pandemic disrupted jobs and school for the last two years.

“We aren’t the richest town,” she said. “Everybody is struggling, and it was just starting to feel like we were getting back on our feet. It’s going to be tough.”

The district was set to celebrate its last day of the school year on Thursday.

Gunman Made Hints of Attack on Social Media

According to numerous reports, three days before the shooting, a photo of two AR-15 assault rifles was posted on an Instagram account linked to the shooter. The gunman also reportedly posted a photo of himself holding a high-capacity magazine.

The same account shared a picture of two rifles to its stories and tagged another user. The user said she did not know the person who tagged her but that he also messaged her saying, “got a lil secret.” Just hours before the shooting, he sent her another message saying, “I’m about to.” When she asked what he meant, he responded, “I’ll tell you before 11.”

Just 30 minutes before the shooting, the gunman sent three private messages on Facebook. The first said that he was going to shoot his grandmother, followed by another that said he had shot her. He then posted that he was going to shoot up an elementary school.

The shooter legally purchased two assault weapons just days after he turned 18. Texas State Senator John Whitmire said one of the rifles was used in the shooting and the other was found in the gunman’s truck, according to The New York Post.

During a Friday press conference, DPS Colonel Steven McCraw said a total of 58 ammunition magazines were found on or near school grounds and on the gunman. He confirmed 11 magazines were found inside the school, of which three were on the shooter’s body, two were in one classroom, and six were inside another. Five other magazines were on the ground and one was in the shooter’s rifle.

An additional 32 magazines were found outside the school but on school property, and 15 were found in the shooter’s car. There were two other magazines found in his home.

Rampage Leads to Gun Law Debates

The attack has reignited debates regarding gun control laws. Last year, the House passed two bills to expand background checks on firearms purchases. One bill would have closed a loophole on private and online sales. The other would have extended the background check review period.

Both are currently tied up in the 50-50 Senate. Democrats need at least 10 Republican votes to overcome objections from a filibuster.

“I had hoped when I became president I would not have to do this — again,” President Joe Biden said in a press conference Tuesday night. “Another massacre. Uvalde, Texas. An elementary school. Beautiful, innocent second, third and fourth graders. And how many scores of little children who witnessed what happened — see their friends die, as if they’re in a battlefield, for God’s sake. They’ll live with it the rest of their lives.”

Source: https://www.campussafetymagazine.com/news/15-dead-in-texas-elementary-school-shooting/

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Homemade Rocket Fuel Explosion in BYU Dorm Displaces 22 Students

A 22-year-old Brigham Young University (BYU) student trying to cook up some homemade rocket fuel in his residence hall kitchen caused a fireball to erupt on Sunday afternoon.

The flames engulfed the kitchen, and the heat from the fire tripped Heritage Halls’ fire alarm system. When firefighters arrived at the scene, the building’s sprinkler system was flooding the main floor, reports KUTV. They were able to quickly extinguish the flames.

The explosion led to 22 BYU students being displaced from their dorm rooms, reports CNN. No one was injured, and many student residents weren’t on campus due to it being a holiday weekend.

“Keep your experiments in the lab and supervised by trained professionals,” BYU campus police told students in a Twitter post after the mishap.

Police are still investigating why the student responsible for the explosion tried to make homemade rocket fuel. Authorities say he is being very cooperative but that it’s possible he could face criminal charges. The experiment was not a class assignment.

Needless to say, exploding homemade rocket fuel is a highly unusual occurrence in college dorms. BYU Police spokesperson Jeff Long told KUTV that the fire department usually responds to burned Pop Tarts in that building.

BYUPD issued the following post on Twitter after the incident:

“Rocket Man”

On Sunday afternoon about 4:30 PM BYU police officers and Provo firefighters responded to a fire alarm at Heritage Halls Building 4. Upon arrival they found the fire sprinklers had been activated and were flooding the main floor. The subsequent investigation revealed that a resident had been making homemade rocket fuel on the stove when the volatile mixture suddenly exploded into a fireball. The flames from the explosion had engulfed the walls and ceiling around the stove and the intense heat tripped the fire sprinkler system. Firefighters quickly secured the scene and were able to put out the remnants from the fire.

Fortunately, no one was injured but some dorm residents will be displaced due to the flooding caused by this kitchen chemist incident. Please keep your experiments in the lab and supervised by trained professionals.

Source: https://www.campussafetymagazine.com/news/homemade-rocket-fuel-explosion-in-byu-dorm-displaces-22-students/

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Man Killed in Officer-Involved Shooting Outside Middle School

Deputies received multiple reports of a man acting erratically and knocking on parents’ car windows during pick-up.

An officer-involved shooting is under investigation after a suspect was killed Tuesday in the parking lot of a Colorado middle school.

Deputies were called out to Liberty Point International Middle School during dismissal for multiple reports of a suspicious person, according to Chief David Lucero of the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies arrived three minutes later and confronted the man, reports The Denver Channel.

The man, who one witness said appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, was acting erratically and banging on the windows of parents’ cars around 3:30 p.m. Before police arrived, school staff approached him but he went into a nearby car. The school was subsequently locked down.

The man allegedly became “assaultive” with deputies. Lucero said a deputy was headbutted during the confrontation and may have suffered a broken nose. The suspect then attempted to grab the officer’s service weapon. The man was shot and pronounced dead at the scene. No students or staff were injured.

Once the all-clear was given by the sheriff’s department, the lockdown was lifted and staff began to escort students to alternate bus and parent pickup areas.

The 10th Judicial Critical Incident Response Team is investigating the shooting. More information will be released as it becomes available.

Classes were already set to be canceled today due to weather. Superintendent Ed Smith said counselors will be available when school reopens.

Source: https://www.campussafetymagazine.com/safety/officer-involved-shooting-liberty-point-intl-middle-school/

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DHS Warns Colleges and Universities of Mass Casualty Attack Threats

The department warns that threats directed at HBCUs and other colleges and universities could inspire extremists to mobilize to violence.

Following the recent bomb threats received by multiple Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) late last month and at the beginning of February, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin, warning that  “mass  casualty attacks and other acts of targeted violence conducted by lone offenders and small groups acting in furtherance of ideological beliefs and/or personal grievances pose an ongoing threat to the nation.”

The bulletin said the following key factors are contributing to the heightened threat environment:

  1. The proliferation of false or misleading narratives, which sow discord or undermine public trust in U.S. government institutions:
    • For example, there is widespread online proliferation of false or misleading narratives regarding unsubstantiated widespread election fraud and COVID-19. Grievances associated with these themes inspired violent extremist attacks during 2021.
    • Malign foreign powers have and continue to amplify these false or misleading narratives in efforts to damage the United States.
  2. Continued calls for violence directed at U.S. critical infrastructure; soft targets and mass gatherings; faith-based institutions, such as churches, synagogues, and mosques; institutions of higher education; racial and religious minorities; government facilities and personnel, including law enforcement and the military; the media; and perceived ideological opponents:
    • Foreign terrorist organizations and domestic threat actors continue to amplify pre-existing false or misleading narratives online to sow discord and undermine public trust in government institutions. Some of these actors do so to encourage unrest, which could lead to acts of violence against the facilities, individuals, institutions, and organizations cited above.
    • Violent extremists inspired by a range of grievances and ideologies continue to target crowded venues traditionally perceived to be soft targets, such as commercial and publicly accessible facilities, public gatherings, certain government and state facilities, and houses of worship.
    • The recent attack on a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas highlights the continuing threat of violence based upon racial or religious motivations, as well as threats against faith-based organizations.
    • Threats directed at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other colleges and universities, Jewish facilities, and churches cause concern and may inspire extremist threat actors to mobilize to violence.
    • As COVID-19 restrictions continue to decrease nationwide, increased access to commercial and government facilities and the rising number of mass gatherings could provide increased opportunities for individuals looking to commit acts of violence to do so, often with little or no warning. Meanwhile, COVID-19 mitigation measures—particularly COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates—have been used by domestic violent extremists to justify violence since 2020 and could continue to inspire these extremists to target government, healthcare, and academic institutions that they associate with those measures.
    • Domestic violent extremists have also viewed attacks against U.S. critical infrastructure as a means to create chaos and advance ideological goals, and have recently aspired to disrupt U.S. electric and communications critical infrastructure, including by spreading false or misleading narratives about 5G cellular technology.
    • Some domestic violent extremists have continued to advocate for violence in response to false or misleading narratives about unsubstantiated election fraud. The months preceding the upcoming 2022 midterm elections could provide additional opportunities for these extremists and other individuals to call for violence directed at democratic institutions, political candidates, party offices, election events, and election workers.
    • A small number of threat actors are attempting to use the evacuation and resettlement of Afghan nationals following the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan last year as a means to exacerbate long-standing grievances and justify attacks against immigrants.
  3. Calls by foreign terrorist organizations for attacks on the United States based on recent events:
    • Foreign terrorist organizations will likely continue to maintain a highly visible online presence to attempt to inspire U.S.-based individuals to engage in violent activity.
    • Supporters of foreign terrorist organizations have encouraged copycat attacks following the January 15, 2022 attack on a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas.
    • Foreign terrorists remain intent on targeting the United States and U.S. persons, and may seek to capitalize on the evolving security environment overseas to plot attacks. The Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) or its affiliates may issue public calls for retaliation due to the strike that recently killed ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi.

DHS urged potential soft targets to be prepared for emergencies and remain aware of circumstances that could increase their risk. It also urged everyone to maintain digital and media literacy “to recognize and build resilience to false or misleading narratives.” Potential targets should also prepare for potential active shooter incidents and make efforts to prevent, protect against, respond, and mitigate the use of explosives. Additionally, anything suspicious should be reported to authorities.

The bulletin expires June 7.

Article source: https://www.campussafetymagazine.com/news/dhs-warns-colleges-and-universities-of-mass-casualty-attack-threats/

 
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Sandy Hook Families Reach $73 Million Settlement with Remington Arms

The families of five children and four adults killed in the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School have settled a lawsuit with the now-bankrupt gun manufacturer that made the weapon used in the massacre.

The nine families originally filed a lawsuit against Remington Arms in December 2014, claiming the Bushmaster rifle shouldn’t have been sold to the public because it is a military-style weapon, NPR reports.

As part of the settlement, Remington’s four insurers have agreed to pay the full amount of coverage available, which totals $73 million. The settlement also requires the manufacturer to release thousands of pages of internal company documents.

The suit accused Remington of “prioritizing profit over public safety.” It also accused the manufacturer of violating the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA) when it “knowingly marketed and promoted the Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle for use in assaults against human beings.”

Adam Skaggs, chief counsel and policy director at Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said this is believed the be the first damages award of this size against a U.S. gun manufacturer following a mass shooting. In previous cases, gunmakers have “managed to invoke immunity and avoid liability, which just underscores how significant and unique the Sandy Hook outcome is,” Skaggs wrote in an email to NPR.

A 2005 federal law protects many gun manufacturers from wrongful death lawsuits brought on my family members but the marketing argument was what made this lawsuit unique, according to CNN. Lawyers for the plaintiffs claimed the company’s marketing strategy praised the militaristic qualities of the rifle and reinforced the image of a combat weapon.

Remington had proposed settling with the families for $33 million last year. In July, Josh Koskoff, an attorney for the victims’ families, said his clients turned the offer down because of its “glaring inadequacy.” rejected an attempt by Remington to prevent the company from being sued.

In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an attempt by Remington to prevent the company from being sued, which allowed the suit to move forward. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2020 — the second time in just over two years — and its assets were sold off.

“These nine families have shared a single goal from the very beginning: to do whatever they could to help prevent the next Sandy Hook. It is hard to imagine an outcome that better accomplishes that goal,” Koskoff wrote in a statement Tuesday. “This victory should serve as a wake-up call not only to the gun industry, but also the insurance and banking companies that prop it up. For the gun industry, it’s time to stop recklessly marketing all guns to all people for all uses and instead ask how marketing can lower risk rather than court it.”

Following Tuesday’s announcement, President Joe Biden praised the “perseverance of nine families who turned tragedy into action.”

“They have demonstrated that state and city consumer protection laws – like Connecticut’s Unfair Trade Practices Act – provide an opportunity to hold gun manufacturers and dealers accountable for wrongdoing despite the persistence of the federal immunity shield for these companies,” he wrote in a statement. “Together, we can deliver a clear message to gun manufacturers and dealers: they must either change their business models to be part of the solution for the gun violence epidemic, or they will bear the financial cost of their complicity.”

During a news conference to celebrate the settlement, Nicole Hockley, whose six-year-old son, Dylan, was killed in the shooting, called it a “landmark, historic victory.” Hockley said the thousands of internal documents the plaintiffs obtained “paint a picture of a company that lost its way,” and that the families are looking forward to sharing the documents with the public.

“Nothing will bring Dylan back. The closest I get to him now is by kissing his urn every night, telling him I love him and I miss him,” she continued. “But I made him a promise, and I’ll keep working to deliver that promise for the rest of my life.

Source: https://www.campussafetymagazine.com/safety/sandy-hook-families-settlement-remington-arms/

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