Texas police waited an hour to tackle school shooter

Salvador Ramos shot his grandmother in the face before he left the home they shared, but she survived and called police

Alanna De Leon writes the name of her friend, Annabelle Rodriguez, who died in the shooting. AFP

Pallbearers carry the coffin of Amerie Jo Garza into Sacred Heart Catholic Church. AP

Pallbearers carry the coffin of Amerie Jo Garza, who died in the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. AFP

A memorial in Town Square, Uvalde, Texas, for victims of the Robb Elementary school shooting. Reuters

A woman places a rose on Layla Salazar’s memorial cross, who was one of the victims that died in the shooting. Reuters

Bags with brisket sandwiches and a snack that will be sold at a fundraiser for families of the victims. Reuters

Ashtyn Leigh, 18, hands a man a brisket meal. Reuters

A choir sings in front of the memorial. Reuters

People pray in front of memorial crosses. Reuters

Nineteen children and two adults were killed in the shooting. AFP

People visit a memorial for the victims. AFP

Flowers are left outside the school. AFP

Twenty-one empty chairs are seen outside of a daycare center as a memorial for the victims. AP Photo

Football teammates of Tess Mata, who died in the Texas school shooting, cry as they visit a makeshift memorial outside the Uvalde County Courthouse. AFP

A football teammate of shooting victim Tess Mata cries, supported by her mother. AFP

Texas police faced angry questions over why it took an hour to stop the gunman who murdered 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, as video emerged of desperate parents begging officers to storm the school. AFP

Activists join Senate Democrats outside the Capitol, in Washington, to demand action on gun control legislation after the killings at the Texas elementary school this week. AP

The George R Brown Convention Centre, site of the National Rifle Association annual convention. Days after the deadliest mass school shooting in Texas history, the gun lobbyist group is meeting in Houston, from Friday until Sunday. Reuters

Pastor Carlos Contreras preaches to his congregation as photos of some of the children killed in the mass shooting at Robb Elementary flash on the screen at Primera Iglesia Bautista, in Uvalde. Reuters

People march after a vigil held to stand with the Uvalde families and demand an end to gun violence in Newtown, Connecticut. AP

A woman holds up a banner at the end of the vigil in Newtown, Connecticut. AP

Newtown was the scene of the 2012 attack at Sandy Hook Elementary School, when 20 pupils and six teachers were killed by a gunman. AP

Candles are lit for each victim as people pray at St Philip's Episcopal Church. EPA

A makeshift memorial in front of Robb Elementary School. AFP

Omahar Padillo with his son Omahar Jr, 12, during a community prayer, in Pharr, Texas, for the shooting victims at Robb Elementary School. AP

Omahar Padillo Jr, 12, and his sister Samantha, 9, with their mother, Silvia Padillo, write messages in support of the victims at Robb Elementary School. AP

A vigil for the victims of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. AFP

A young mourner at the vigil in Uvalde, Texas. AFP

Families at the vigil. AFP

A woman holds a photo of Nevaeh Bravo, who was killed in the mass shooting, during a vigil for the victims of the massacre in Uvalde, Texas. AFP

Uvalde County Sheriff Ruben Nolasco is comforted by Senator Ted Cruz during a vigil at the Uvalde County Fairplex Arena. AP

Diana Karau of Uvalde with a therapy dog named Tritan before a vigil to honour those killed at Robb Elementary. AP

Gun-control advocates Dana Cibulski, left, and Judi Giannini attend a vigil outside the National Rifle Association headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia after the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. AFP

Uziyah Garcia, 8, was among those killed in the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. AP

Pastor Jaime Cabralez, the uncle of shooting victim 10-year-old Eliahana Cruz Torres, is surrounded in prayer at his church in Uvalde, Texas on Wednesday. Reuters

A woman embraces a child outside Willie de Leon Civic Centre, in Uvalde, where pupils were taken after the school shooting. Bloomberg

Gun-control advocates hold a vigil outside the National Rifle Association (NRA) headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia. AFP

A woman and child leave the Civic Centre. Reuters

Police in the Texas town of Uvalde are facing mounting criticism after it surfaced on Thursday that it took about an hour for officers to shoot the gunman who attacked a primary school, killing 19 children and two teachers.

America's deadliest school shooting in a decade ended when a tactical team from the US Border Patrol, which has a base close to Robb Elementary School, entered and killed the attacker, Salvador Ramos, 18.

But local police agencies had already been at the scene for about an hour, Texas Department of Public Safety Regional Director Victor Escalon said. They did not enter the school because they had received gunfire from Ramos and were awaiting backup and body armour.

"They don't make entry initially because of the gunfire they're receiving," Mr Escalon told a news conference.

Shocked community members have told US media that frustrated onlookers outside the school on Tuesday had urged police to charge in.

“Go in there! Go in there!” people shouted at the officers soon after the attack began, said Juan Carranza, 24, who watched the scene from outside a house across the street.

Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, visits a memorial site with flowers to honour the victims killed in this week's school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. AP

Jacinto Cazares, whose daughter, Jacklyn, died in the massacre, said he raced to the school when he heard about the shooting.

“There was at least 40 lawmen armed to the teeth but didn't do a darn thing [until] it was far too late,” Mr Cazares told ABC News on Wednesday night, joining other grief-stricken parents quoted in US media as saying they urged police to act more forcefully.

“The situation could've been over quick if they had better tactical training, and we as a community witnessed it first-hand,” said Mr Cazares.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Wednesday had praised the police response and said the shooting “could have been worse”.

“The reason it was not worse is because law enforcement officials did what they do. They showed amazing courage, running towards gunfire for the singular purpose of trying to save lives,” Mr Abbott said.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks during Wednesday's press conference. AFP

Daniel Myers and his wifex, Matilda — both local pastors — told AFP they were at the scene and saw parents growing frantic as police appeared to wait on reinforcements before entering the school.

“Parents were desperate,” said Mr Myers, 72. “They were ready to go in. One family member, he says: 'I was in the military, just give me a gun, I'll go in. I'm not going to hesitate. I'll go in.'

“So there was desperation there, there was time lapse,” he told AFP at a makeshift memorial outside the school, where wooden crosses have been erected with victims' names.

Tuesday's attack at the school in Uvalde, located about 100 kilometres from the Mexican border, unfolded when Ramos shot his grandmother in the face, authorities said.

The 66-year-old woman survived and called the police, but Ramos had fled in a car. He then crashed the vehicle and ran into the nearby school.

Mr Abbott said Ramos sent three messages via Facebook saying that he planned to shoot his grandmother and attack a school.

The gunman gave no other warnings he was about to commit the deadliest US school shooting since the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut.

Authorities corrected an earlier account in which they said a school police had officer approached Ramos.

That was "not accurate," Mr Escalon said. No school police officer was on scene and Ramos strolled into the school unobstructed.

Ramos was carrying an AR-15-style rifle and made his way to a fourth-grade classroom, where he opened fire after barricading himself in. Authorities said he legally bought two rifles and 375 rounds of ammunition days before the shooting.

Meanwhile, police surrounded the building, breaking windows to help children and staff escape.

Border Patrol agents eventually responded and entered the building to confront the gunman, with one agent wounded in the crossfire, Homeland Security officials said.

Seventeen people suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The wounded included “multiple children” who survived the gunfire in their classroom, Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Chris Olivarez said.

Victims' loved ones used social media to express anguish over the loss of the children.

“We told her we loved her and would pick her up after school,” Kimberly Mata-Rubio posted on Facebook in a remembrance of her daughter, Alexandria Aniyah Rubio, a grade-four honour student.

“We had no idea this was goodbye.”

Agencies contributed to this report