HE HAD HIS REASONS..
» US school shooter’s mum asks devastated relatives to forgive him » Police made ‘wrong decision’ not to storm classroom much earlier
THE mother of Texas school shooter Salvador Ramos has pleaded with the families of his victims to forgive him, claiming he “had his reasons”.
Adriana Reyes’ 18-year-old son burst into a classroom on Tuesday and carried out the worst US school massacre in a decade.
He killed 19 children and two teachers with an AK15 rifle he had bought on his birthday less than two weeks ago. Ramos was later shot dead by armed officers.
It comes as Colonel Steven McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said police were wrong to wait nearly an hour to enter the classroom at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.
But in an outburst likely to horrify the bereaved families, Ms Reyes asked them not to “judge” her son’s actions and claimed he was “not a violent person”.
She said: “I have no words. I don’t know what he was thinking.
“He had his reasons. He wanted to get closer to the children.
“I only want the innocent people who died to forgive me. I pray for those families. I’m praying for all of those innocent children, yes I am. They had no part in this.”
Speaking directly to the families, she said: “Forgive me, forgive my son.”
RAMPAGE
Ms Reyes last spoke to her son on Monday when she gave him a Snoopy stuffed toy and a card as a birthday present.
She was last night keeping a vigil by the hospital bedside of the teen’s grandmother, Celia Gonzalez, 66.
Ramos shot her in the face before going on his deadly rampage, where 21 white crosses were later placed as a tribute to the victims.
Colonel McCraw told reporters in Uvalde that the first 911 call came through at 12.03pm on Tuesday. There were repeated follow-up attempts to summon help from those inside the school building, including children.
But officers did not enter the classroom until 12.50pm despite parents desperately begging them to rescue their kids. McCraw said: “That was the wrong decision.”
And more tragedy unfolded on Thursday when Joe Garcia, the husband of slain teacher Irma, 48, died of a heart attack.
Last night, a fundraiser to help their four children hit £1.6million.