One of the children killed in the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas was the daughter of a deputy sheriff, the state’s governor has revealed.
“One deputy sheriff lost a daughter in that school,” Governor Greg Abbott of Texas said at a press conference but did not name the victim or the law enforcement officer.
Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in a shooting at Robb Elementary School. Authorities say the suspect, Salvador Ramos, 18, also died after being shot by police.
The massacre is the deadliest school shooting since 2012, when 26 people were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
At the press conference on Wednesday, Mr Abbott did not name the deputy sheriff whose daughter was killed, nor did he name the daughter.
The governor also said three police officers were wounded, but are recovering well.
“Some physical wounds that were sustained by the officers, they’re going to heal in the coming days,” Mr Abbott said. “The mental and the emotional wounds are far harder to see, and last far longer.”
At the same press conference, former congressman Beto O’Rourke stood up from the audience to shout at Mr Abbott. Mr O’Rourke, the Democrat running against Mr Abbott for governor, accused the Republican of “doing nothing” to prevent shootings like the one in Uvalde.
“The time to stop this was after Santa Fe. The time to stop this was after El Paso,” Mr O’Rourke said, referring to two previous shootings. “The time to stop the next shooting is right now, and you are doing nothing. You are offering us nothing. You said this was not predictable – this is totally predictable when you choose not to do anything.”
After security escorted Mr O’Rourke out of the building, Mr Abbott dismissed his criticism.
“There are family members who are crying as we speak,” the governor said. “Think about the people who are hurt and help those who are hurt.”
As governor, Mr Abbott has been as staunchly against gun control as Mr O’Rourke has been for it. Last year, he signed a law allowing Texans to carry handguns in public without a license or training. This Friday, just three days after the shooting in Uvalde, he is scheduled to speak at an NRA conference in Houston.
