What we know so far about the Santa Fe school shooting
CNN/Stylemagazine.com Newswire | 5/18/2018, 2:50 p.m.
By Christian DuChateau, CNN
(CNN) -- Nine students and a teacher were killed Friday morning in a shooting at Santa Fe High School in the southeastern Texas city of Santa Fe. It's the 22nd school shooting in the US in 2018. As of 2:30 p.m. ET, this is what we know:
CASUALTIES
- 10 people are dead, a law enforcement official said.
- Nine of those killed are students and one a teacher.
- Two law enforcement officers are among those injured.
- At least 13 people have been hospitalized.
THE SUSPECT
- A male suspect, believed to be a 17-year-old student in his teens, is in custody.
- He was injured, according to a law enforcement official.
- Investigators have not found the suspect in the system for purchasing hand guns.
- A second person, 18 and also believed to be a student, has been detained as well, officials said.
WHAT HAPPENED
- Sheriff's officials received reports of an active shooting at the school just before 8 a.m.
- An armed person walked into an art class at the school and began firing what looked like a shotgun, a witness told CNN affiliate KTRK.
- Pipe bombs and pressure cookers were found at the scene, according to a law enforcement official.
- Investigators are searching a trailer nearby where it is believed explosive devices were assembled, according to a law enforcement source, who says a pressure cooker has been found.
- Explosive devices are also found in surrounding areas.
REACTION
- President Trump addressed the shooting at an unrelated White House event, saying: "This has been going on too long in our country."
- Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said schools must be "safe and nurturing environments" and "we simply cannot allow this trend to continue."
- Parents and students of Parkland offered condolences and reiterated that something needs to change.
- Sen. John Cornyn of Texas says he plans to travel to Santa Fe this afternoon: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those injured and killed."
- The Democratic mayor of Dallas slammed Congress: "Spare us your thoughts and prayers and do your job."
- "History will not look kindly upon those elected officials who failed to act in the face of repeated mass murders of our children," Mayor Mike Rawlings said.
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has directed flags be lowered to half-staff today through Tuesday.
BACKGROUND
- Santa Fe High School is slated to hold their Class of 2018 graduation ceremony Sunday at the High School auditorium, according to the Santa Fe Independent School District Website.
- The high school has about 1,400 students, according to GreatSchools.org.
- Santa Fe is a city of about 13,000 people roughly 20 miles northwest of Galveston and 30 miles southeast of Houston.