Texas Shooting Suspect Locked Himself Inside Classroom Where All Victims Were Found: Official

Lt. Chris Olivarez from the Texas Department of Public Safety told CNN that one responding officer was struck by gunfire Tuesday

The gunman who carried out Tuesday's mass school shooting in Texas barricaded himself inside one an elementary school classroom, officials have said, adding that all of the victims were found in that room.

Speaking to CNN this morning, Lt. Chris Olivarez from the Texas Department of Public Safety said that officers responding to Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on Tuesday morning were "at a point of disadvantage," because the shooter, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, had already hunkered down inside the classroom.

Olivarez said the shooter only entered the one classroom on Tuesday.

Initially, a lack of "sufficient man power" at the scene prevented police from engaging the shooter, Olivarez explained to CNN. So, instead, in order to save as many lives as possible, officers started breaking classroom windows to evacuate students and their teachers.

Later, when officers did exchange gunfire with the shooter, one officer was struck by a bullet, sustaining a non-life-threatening wound.

For more on the shooting massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

Eventually, police were able to shoot and kill the gunman.

Olivarez told CNN all of the victims from Tuesday's shooting — those dead and injured — were in the same classroom.

Families hug outside the Willie de Leon Civic Center where grief counseling will be offered in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. - A teenage gunman killed 18 young children in a shooting at an elementary school in Texas on Tuesday, in the deadliest US school shooting in years. The attack in Uvalde, Texas -- a small community about an hour from the Mexican border -- is the latest in a spree of deadly shootings in America, where horror at the cycle of gun violence has failed to spur action to end it. (Photo by allison dinner / AFP) (Photo by ALLISON DINNER/AFP via Getty Images)
Families hug outside the Willie de Leon Civic Center in Uvalde, Texas. ALLISON DINNER/getty

Olivarez said the shooter entered the classroom at around 11:30 a.m., "locked the door, and just started shooting children and the two teachers" inside.

"Just goes to show you the complete evil from this shooter," Olivarez said.

Investigators have not discussed a motive for Tuesday's shooting.

Uvalde is a small city about 85 miles west of San Antonio.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Authorities have said that, prior to traveling to the school, the shooter shot his grandmother, who has so far survived her injuries.

He crashed his car in a ditch near the school before entering the building.

Police said at a Tuesday press conference they believe the shooter acted alone.

The children killed were in the second, third, and fourth grades, police confirmed.

Fourth grade teacher Eva Mireles, 44, has been identified by family as one of Tuesday's victims.

The school district in Uvalde has opened an official account with First State Bank of Uvalde to support Robb Elementary families affected by the tragedy. People can send checks through the mail (payable to the "Robb School Memorial Fund") or donate money through Zelle to robbschoolmemorialfund@gmail.com. People can also donate by calling 830-356-2273.

Related Articles