“Grief overwhelms the soul”: Reactions to Texas elementary school shooting

At least 14 students and one teacher were killed during a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, Governor Greg Abbott said Tuesday. Several high-profile figures — from politicians to celebrities — have reacted to the tragic shooting on social media. 

“Lord, enough. Little children and their teacher. Stunned. Angry. Heartbroken,” first lady Jill Biden tweeted.

Speaking Tuesday night at an event, Vice President Kamala Harris condemned the shooting and called for policy changes to ensure it never happens again. 

“I would normally say in a moment like this — we would all say, naturally, that our hearts break. But our hearts keep getting broken,” Harris said. “You know, I think — there are so many elected leaders in this room, you know what I’m talking about: Every time a tragedy like this happens, our hearts break — and our broken hearts are nothing compared to the broken hearts of those families. And yet it keeps happening.”

Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke, who previously served as a U.S. representative and ran for president in 2020, tweeted: “Our broken hearts are with Uvalde.” He also retweeted University Healthcare’s message about donating blood to help the victims of the shooting.

“Children went to school today and were killed in a mass shooting. Another American community shattered by gun violence,” Sen. Cory Booker tweeted. “Another round of thoughts and prayers. They’re hollow words if we continue to do nothing to end the violent, unrelenting, preventable shootings in our county.”

Many called for more than thoughts and prayers — asking instead for action from the U.S. government.

“Grief overwhelms the soul. Children slaughtered. Lives extinguished. Parents’ hearts wrenched. Incomprehensible,” Sen. Mitt Romney tweeted. “I offer prayer and condolence but know that it is grossly inadequate. We must find answers.”

Former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton tweeted: “Thoughts and prayers are not enough. After years of nothing else, we are becoming a nation of anguished screams. We simply need legislators willing to stop the scourge of gun violence in America that is murdering our children.”

“14 children and a teacher have been killed in a shooting at an elementary school in Texas,” former RNC chair Michael Steele tweeted. “Again, another school shooting. Again, mothers and fathers will have lost a child. Again, politicians will offer their ‘shock’ and their ‘prayers’. We will move on in a week. Again.”

David Hogg, who was a student at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School when a gunman opened fire in 2018, killing 17, also reacted to the shooting Tuesday.

“We need to do something. We know what we disagree on we need to focus on what we can and do it even if small,” he tweeted. “No more debate or thoughts and prayers. We need bipartisan action.”

Many celebrities also reacted to the tragedy. 

“My thoughts and prayers goes out to the families of love ones loss & injured at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX!” LeBron James tweeted. “Like when is enough enough man!!! These are kids and we keep putting them in harms way at school. Like seriously ‘AT SCHOOL’ where it’s suppose to be the safest!”

“Has to stop man…… prayers to all the families in Texas,” tweeted Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. 

“Prayers for the people in Texas man those are kids that were killed smh this world needs God smh,” rapper Offset tweeted.

The shooter is also dead, according to Abbott, who ordered the state’s flag to be flown at half-staff. 

President Biden also ordered the U.S. flag to be flown at half-staff through May 28. He is expected to speak about the shooting later Tuesday night.