A teenager has killed 14 people – including children and at least one teacher – at an American primary school.
The massacre unfolded in Uvalde, Texas, early on Wednesday morning (Australian time).
An 18-year-old man drove to Robb Elementary School armed with a handgun and another firearm, possibly a rifle.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott identified the killer as Salvador Ramos, a student from nearby Uvalde High School.
America’s ABC News reported that Ramos also shot his grandmother.
“He shot and killed horrifically, incomprehensibly, 14 students and killed a teacher,” Mr Abbott said.
“Texans across the state are grieving for the victims of this senseless crime and for the community.”
The governor said it was likely the teen was shot dead by police but said the exact circumstances were still be investigated.
Uvalde Memorial Hospital said earlier 13 children had been taken there by ambulance or bus. Another hospital reported a 66-year-old woman was in critical condition.
It was not immediately clear how many people, in addition to the dead, were injured in the shooting.
Earlier, the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District had said an active shooter was reported at the school, which has about 600 students.
A heavy police presence surrounded the school on Tuesday afternoon, with officers in heavy vests diverting traffic and FBI agents coming and going from the building.
School and city officials did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
The district said the city’s civic centre was being used as a reunification location.
The shooting in Texas came less than two weeks after a gunman opened fire at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, killing 10 black shoppers and workers in what officials have described as a hate crime.
Uvalde is home to about 16,000 people and is the seat of government for Uvalde County.
The town is about 120 kilometres from the border with Mexico, with the school in a mostly residential neighbourhood of modest homes.
-AAP
