Texas Shooter Discussed Guns in Direct Messages, Says Texas Authorities

Texas authorities mentioned Friday that the gunman who killed 19 youngsters and two lecturers inside an elementary faculty mentioned his curiosity in shopping for a gun in non-public on-line conversations, however backed away from earlier descriptions that he made public threats lower than an hour earlier than the assault.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott mentioned Wednesday, a day after the taking pictures, that “the only information that was known in advance was posted by the gunman on Facebook approximately 30 minutes before reaching the school.” Abbott’s declare prompted questions on whether or not expertise firms may have offered advance warning.

But on Friday, the pinnacle of the Texas Department of Public Safety mentioned the gunman made the threatening feedback in a personal message.

“I want to correct something that was said early on in the investigation, that he posted on Facebook publicly that he was going to kill, that he was going to shoot his grandmother and secondly after that that he was going to, that he had shot her and that third he was going to go shoot up a school,” Steven McCraw mentioned. “That did not happen.”

Facebook had already famous on Wednesday that the threats had been in direct textual content messages, not a public publish.

McCraw didn’t say to whom 18-year-old Salvador Ramos despatched the messages.

McCraw additionally advised reporters Friday that Ramos requested his sister to assist him purchase a gun in September 2021, however that she “flatly refused.” He didn’t say how authorities discovered of that request.

McCraw shared data from 4 extra of Ramos’ social media non-public messages.

In a February 28 four-person chat, McCraw mentioned that “Ramos being a school shooter” was mentioned.

In a March 1 four-person chat, he mentioned Ramos mentioned shopping for a gun.

In a March 3 four-person chat, one other individual mentioned “phrase on the road is that you simply’re shopping for a gun.” McCraw said Ramos replied, “Just bought something.”

On March 14, McCraw said Ramos shared the words “10 more days” in a social media post. Another user asked “Are you going to shoot up a school or something?” McCraw mentioned.

He mentioned Ramos replied, “No and cease asking dumb questions and you will see.”

McCraw didn’t establish any of the opposite folks included in these discussion groups.

The division didn’t instantly reply to a request Friday for extra element, together with screenshots of the communications talked about through the information convention.

Authorities have mentioned Ramos legally bought two weapons not lengthy earlier than the college assault: an AR-style rifle on May 17 and a second rifle on May 20. He had turned 18 simply days earlier, allowing him to purchase a rifle underneath federal regulation.

Friday’s briefing got here after authorities spent three days offering usually conflicting and incomplete details about the regulation enforcement response in Uvalde.