A gunman killed at least 19 students and several adults at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, about 90 miles west of San Antonio, on Tuesday.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,” President Joe Biden said, quoting Psalm 34:19, in an address to the nation on Tuesday evening, requesting prayers for the victims and families.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said May 24 the shooter, a local 18-year-old, has died, believed to have been killed by responding law enforcement. He identified the attacker as Salvador Ramos, saying he was armed with a handgun and possibly a rifle.

The governor added, “It is believed that two responding offers were struck by rounds, but have no serious injuries.”

More students and staff are being treated in nearby hospitals.

The incident is believed to be the worst school shooting since the 2012 attack at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, in which in the attacker killed 26.

Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller of San Antonio tweeted, “God have mercy on our children, their families, their communities. Darkness is dense with one more shooting in our country. Let us help one another to spark light and warmth. May we keep each other in company. Prayers are  needed.”

Bishop Michael Olson of Fort Worth, Texas, has tweeted, “Let us pray for the families of these children killed or traumatized by this evil action and let us take serious steps forward in protecting vulnerable life and promoting justices for the safety of our children.” 

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops offered the following statement from its spokeswoman, Chieko Noguchi, director of public affairs, on Tuesday:

“There have been too many school shootings,  too much killing of the innocent. Our Catholic faith calls us to pray for those who have died and to bind the wounds of others, and we join  our prayers along with the community in Uvalde and Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller. As we do so, each of us also needs to search our souls for ways that we  can do more to understand this epidemic of evil and violence and implore our elected officials to help us take action.”

This is a developing story and will be updated. Register staff added to this report.