Everything we know about the Texas shooting, takeaways from Tuesday's primaries; more news from the last week

The gunman who massacred 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Texas had warned on social media minutes before the attack that he had shot his grandmother and going to shoot up a school, the governor said Wednesday.

Salvador Ramos, 18, used an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle in the bloodbath Tuesday at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. He had legally bought two such rifles just days before the attack, soon after his 18th birthday, authorities said.

About 30 minutes before the bloodbath, Ramos made three social media posts, Gov. Gregg Abbot said. According to the governor, Ramos posted that he was going to shoot his grandmother, then that he had shot the woman, and finally that he was going to shoot up an elementary school.

Abbott said Ramos, a resident of the community about 85 miles (135 kilometers) west of San Antonio, had no known criminal or mental health history.

Seventeen people were also injured in the attack.

“Evil swept across Uvalde yesterday. Anyone who shoots his grandmother in the face has to have evil in his heart,” Abbott said at a news conference. “But it is far more evil for someone to gun down little kids. It is intolerable and it is unacceptable for us to have in the state anybody who would kill little kids in our schools.”

Democrat Beto O’Rourke, who is running against Abbott for governor this year, interrupted the news conference, calling the Republican’s response to the tragedy “predictable.” O’Rourke was escorted out while members of the crowd yelled at him, with one man calling him a “sick son of a bitch.”

As details of the latest mass killing to rock the U.S. emerged, grief engulfed the small town of Uvalde, population 16,000.

The dead included an outgoing 10-year-old, Eliahna Garcia, who loved to sing, dance and play basketball; a fellow fourth grader, Xavier Javier Lopez, who had been eagerly awaiting a summer of swimming; and a teacher, Eva Mireles, with 17 years' experience whose husband is an officer with the school district’s police department.

Here are the latest updates from Texas:

Photos: At least 19 students, 2 adults killed in Texas school shooting

Senator begs colleagues to act after TX shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden delivered an emotional call for new restrictions on firearms after a gunman opened fire at a Texas elementary school on Tuesday.

"When in God's name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby?" Biden said at the White House shortly after returning from a five-day trip to Asia that was bookended by tragedy.

With first lady Jill Biden standing by his side in the Roosevelt Room, Biden added, "I am sick and tired. We have to act."

At least 19 students and two adults were killed. The latest figures come from Travis Considine, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety. The gunman also died.

The massacre at Robb Elementary School in the heavily Latino town of Uvalde was the deadliest shooting at a U.S. grade school since a gunmen killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, almost a decade ago.

The attack came just 10 days after a deadly, racist rampage at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket that added to a yearslong series of mass killings at churches, schools and stores. And the prospects for any reform of the nation’s gun regulations seemed at least as dim as in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook deaths.

The gunman, who was wearing body armor and had hinted on social media of an upcoming attack, crashed his car outside the school and went inside armed, Sgt. Erick Estrada of the Texas Department of Public Safety told CNN.

He killed his grandmother before heading to the school with two military-style rifles he had purchased on his birthday, state Sen. Roland Gutierrez said.

“That was the first thing he did on his 18th birthday,” he said.

Officials did not immediately reveal a motive, but the governor identified the assailant as Salvador Ramos and said he was a resident of the community about 85 miles (135 kilometers) west of San Antonio.

A Border Patrol agent who was working nearby when the shooting began rushed into the school without waiting for backup and shot and killed the gunman, who was behind a barricade, according to a law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about it.

The agent was wounded but able to walk out of the school, the law enforcement source said.

Here are the latest updates from Texas:

Parenting

Texas school shooting: How to help kids get through unspeakable horror

• Los Angels Times staff (TNS)

Photos: At least 19 students, 2 adults killed in Texas school shooting

Walmart's attempt to commemorate Juneteenth with a new ice cream didn't go over so well.

The company is apologizing for selling "Celebration Edition: Juneteenth Ice Cream," under its Great Value label. The branding sparked a backlash with many people on social media.

"Share and celebrate African-American culture, emancipation and enduring hope," the label on the red velvet-flavored ice cream read.

"Juneteenth holiday marks a celebration of freedom and independence," a Walmart spokesperson said in a statement. "However, we received feedback that a few items caused concern for some of our customers and we sincerely apologize. We are reviewing our assortment and will remove items as appropriate."

Other Juneteenth-themed items that appear to be on sale include party plates, according to a tweet.

One critic on Twitter said the ice cream highlighted why it's "important to have diverse voices at the table when making strategic business decisions. When you don't, you end up making costly, foolish mistakes," the tweet said.

Others on Twitter are encouraging shoppers to buy Black-owned Creamalicious Ice Cream from Target.

CNN affiliate WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina, found the Juneteenth ice cream at a local store. However when a reporter tried to buy it, it was "unavailable for purchase." A store employee told the channel that they are "throwing the ice cream out."

Juneteenth, on June 19, is now a federal holiday after President Joe Biden signed a bill last year. It's the oldest US celebration of the end of slavery, marking the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed residents that the Civil War was over and slavery abolished. African-Americans and others have long marked the anniversary much like the Fourth of July, with parties, picnics and gatherings of family and friends.

Photos: Scenes from Juneteenth celebrations across the US

UVALDE, Texas (AP) — An 18-year-old gunman opened fire Tuesday at a Texas elementary school, killing at least 18 children, officials said, and the gunman was dead.

The death toll also included three adults, according to state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who said he was briefed by state police on the fatalities. But it was not immediately clear whether that number included the assailant.

It was the deadliest shooting at a U.S. grade school since a gunmen killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, almost a decade ago. And it came just 10 days after a gunman in body armor killed 10 Black shoppers and workers at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, in what authorities say was a racist attack.

Federal law enforcement officials said the death toll was expected to rise.

This is a breaking news update. AP's original story is below:

Photos: At least 19 students, 2 adults killed in Texas school shooting

How to talk to kids about school shootings

TAKE AN AGE-BASED APPROACH

One of the great joys of parenthood is watching how kids’ thoughts and feelings about the world evolve over time. That’s why we often avoid difficult topics like sex, drugs and violence: so we won’t disrupt the magic of this wonderful process. Take an age-based approach to discussing school shootings, being mindful of how your kid’s developmental stage affects their understanding.

KIDS UNDER 7

Young kids tend to think concretely, understand simple ideas best, and think of their immediate family as the center of their world. During times of stress, they may get whiny or engage in difficult behavior. It could be a sign that they need comfort even if they can’t articulate it.

WHAT TO SAY

Ask open-ended questions. If your kids don’t know what happened and don’t bring it up, you don’t necessarily have to fill in the blanks. If they bring up an incident, you can ask, “What did you hear?” or “What do you think is going on?”

Use simple sentences. Feel free to oversimplify if you have to. You can say, “Someone hurt people.” And if an idea is too complicated to explain — maybe you don’t need to.

Don’t overtalk. Once you’ve conveyed the news, you can wait until your kid asks questions to reopen the conversation.

Reassure them that they’re safe and that people are working on the problem. Even if you feel iffy about the situation, you want your kids to feel like you’re in charge and that it will be resolved.

Emphasize that emergency drills help keep them safe. Encourage them to follow the procedures and stay calm. Active-shooter drills are somewhat controversial, but if they’re mandated at your school, it’s best to be supportive when kids are within earshot.

WHAT TO DO

Try to keep the news away. You might be eager for information, but try to be discreet. If you can’t turn off the news, try distracting your kid or changing their focus with a book or an activity.

Save strong emotions for your adult support community. You don’t have to be a robot, but avoid displaying strong emotions related to these tragic incidents around young kids. Kids often get scared when they don’t know why parents are upset. Make sure to say, “I’m upset about what I heard on the news. It’s not you.”

Allow them to express themselves how they want. You may see a wide range of reactions when you discuss bad news. Some kids may cry or act out when they’re upset and don’t know what to do. Some kids want quiet time with you. Some kids like to talk. Some like to draw their feelings.

Make it a normal day. Try to maintain a typical schedule so kids feel the safety of regularity. But feel free to indulge in extra comfort and togetherness.

TWEENS AND TEENS

At this age, kids are developing their moral beliefs, which means they can delve deeper into a subject. More exposure to peers, social media and news means they’ll receive lots of information — some of which you may need to correct. You don’t need to sit them down for a formal talk: Sometimes, just doing an unrelated activity, such as watching TV, can lead to opportunities to have conversations about difficult topics.

WHAT TO SAY

Find out what they know. It’s likely that kids this age will have heard about a shooting before they get home from school. You can ask, “What did you hear today?”

State the facts. If they’ve heard about the incident, ask what they’ve learned. If they don’t know, you can say, “I need to tell you that there was a school shooting. I know you’ll hear about it, and I want it to come from me so we can talk about it.”

Check in. While it’s important to talk, tweens and teens may be more open if they can set the pace. The conversation can happen when it feels right. You can say, “I want us to take a few minutes to discuss what happened. Let’s talk either now or a little later.”

Encourage them to express themselves. Tweens and teens are learning how to communicate their ideas, but they may need prompting. You can ask questions, share what you know, or get a conversation going in other ways. Ask, “Do you have any questions?,” “How do you feel about this issue?,” and “Why do you feel that way?”

Read their cues. Sometimes kids are just done and can’t handle any more discussion. Be on the lookout for signs of information overload.

Share your feelings. Telling kids how you feel about what happened is a good thing to do even if they don’t ask. Saying you’re sad, mad, or whatever else will unburden you — plus it models empathy and compassion.

Talk about emergency drills. Many schools mandate active-shooter drills, even though their efficacy is debatable. Still, your kids need to comply. Make sure they understand the importance of following procedures and staying calm. It may take the edge off to discuss the duck-and-cover drills students practiced during the Cold War.

WHAT TO DO

Help them feel secure. This is important for kids of all ages: Tell them that they’re safe, that you’re always there for them, and that the authorities are investigating. Provide emotional support by saying, “It’s OK to feel sad — or to not even know how you’re feeling.”

Look out for signs of anxiety, generalized worry or traumatic stress. When bad things happen, kids can develop a fear that it will happen to them, their family or their school. Allow your kid to express all of their concerns, even if they don’t seem directly related or even realistic. Validate their feelings, talk about ways they can calm themselves in times of intense stress (including calming thoughts, breathing exercises and activities), and make it clear that you’re always available to talk things through. Your kid may benefit from a meditation app, but if their anxiety or sensitivity increases, you may want to talk to your pediatrician.

Model behavior. The truth is, no one really knows what to do in these situations. But if you want your tweens and teens to think more deeply about news and other information, you may need to start that process by demonstrating it for them. You’re showing them how to think about things, instead of what to think — which is essential for kids’ ability to view information critically. Try, “I always wonder why these things happen,” “What drives a person to do this?,” “What happens to the families, teachers and other people who are affected?,” “I wonder if this will have an impact on gun laws,” and “Is there anything we can do?”

Filter news, or watch together. Tweens and teens get a lot of information from online sources like YouTube, which, as you’re well aware, is hit or miss. Point them toward quality, age-appropriate news sources such as Xyza: News for Kids or the New York Times’ The Learning Network, which handle mature news in youth-friendly terms. If you’re going to watch the news on television, do it together, and turn it off if it gets too graphic.

Compare different news sources. News coverage can vary by publication, and information about one story can vary wildly. Consider looking at how a youth-oriented source like Snapchat covers a school shooting versus, say, the Washington Post. Make sure kids know how to vet news sources by checking the URL, the reporter, and the site or app sponsors. Check out AllSides, which compares news across partisan lines.

Get involved. Since youth activism is well documented on social media and other outlets, tweens and teens can see how their actions make a real difference in the world. Explore ways kids can get involved in making changes about issues they believe in by checking out sites like DoSomething, Never Again, and March for Our Lives.

While a Texas mother thought her 2-year-old son was using her phone to take pictures, he was actually feeding his craving for a cheeseburger.

Well, 31 cheeseburgers, that is.

Soon after, a confused Kelsey Golden got a DoorDash notification explaining her order was running behind because of its large size, according to KRIS.

That’s when she learned what her toddler, Barrett, had actually been up to while playing with her phone in Kingsville, KIII reported.

“Apparently my 2 yr old knows how to order doordash,” Golden shared in a May 16 Facebook post.

Sure enough, a DoorDash driver showed up at her door with nearly three dozen McDonald’s cheeseburgers, KRIS reported. But Barrett only managed to eat half of one burger.

So the shocked mom offered to give away the food by posting about it on Facebook at about 2 p.m. Monday.

Several people reached out for burgers, according to KIII. And now their story has gotten lots of attention.

“I always wanted to go viral for a giant mom fail,” Golden said. Several of her friends could relate.

“When Conner was just slightly older he ordered the entire NBA league pass,” one friend shared. “That was about 70 games. Kids are too smart when it comes to technology.”

“Oh my gosh!!!! At least it is cheeseburgers,” another said. “My daughter let her baby 1-1/2 year old play with her phone. Somehow he clicked on Amazon and ordered 3 iPhones.”

“Girl I have had to add the double click and facial recognition to my DoorDash because of the same issue,” another Facebook friend commented.

The toddler’s order came out to $91.70, KRIS reported — including the $16 tip he gave the driver.

Kingsville is about 40 miles southwest of Corpus Christi.

The top 10 fast-food restaurants for customer satisfaction

1. Chick-fil-A

2. Domino's

3. KFC

4. Starbucks

5. Five Guys

6. Panera Bread

7. Pizza Hut

8. Arby’s

9. Chipotle Mexican Grill

10. Dunkin' Donuts

WASHINGTON (AP) — An independent commission on Tuesday recommended new names for nine Army posts that commemorated Confederate officers. Among their recommendations: Fort Bragg in North Carolina would become Fort Liberty and Fort Gordon in Georgia would become Fort Eisenhower.

The recommendations are the latest step in a broader effort by the military to confront racial injustice, most recently in the aftermath of the May 2020 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The list recommends naming bases for the first time after women and Black soldiers.

Fort Polk, in Louisiana, would be renamed Fort Johnson, after Sgt. William Henry Johnson, a Black Medal of Honor recipient who served in the Army in World War I.

Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia would be renamed Fort Walker, after Mary Edwards Walker, a doctor who treated soldiers in the Civil War and later received a Medal of Honor

For years, U.S. military officials had defended the naming of bases after Confederate officers. As recently as 2015 the Army argued that the names did not honor the rebel cause but were a gesture of reconciliation with the South.

But in the aftermath of the Floyd killing, and the months of racial unrest that followed, the Pentagon and Congress pushed for a comprehensive plan to rename the military posts and hundreds of other federal assets such as roads, buildings, memorials, signs and landmarks that honored rebel leaders.

US Army history from the year you were born

Intro

1920: Amended National Defense Act is passed

1921: The Army intervenes at the Battle of Blair Mountain

1922: Col. Charles Young dies

1923: Harding orders troops home from Germany

1924: Philippines scouts rebel

1925: Black soldiers evaluated for wartime fitness

1926: Sgt. Stubby dies

1927: Joint Army and Navy Basic War Plan Red

1928: First US Army Day

1929: Escobar revolutionaries send stray bullets to US

1930: Douglas MacArthur is appointed Army chief of staff

1931: US Army wins International Military Team Trophy

1932: Calvary soldiers attack veterans

1933: US Army aids Civilian Conservation Corps

1934: Army takes over the mail

1935: Final flight of US Army Air Corps LTA operations

1936: M1 Garand becomes go-to Army rifle

1937: Army's Airship Program ends

1938: 15th Regiment returns home from China

1939 US Army (and its Calvary) ranks 39th in the world

1940: Selective Training and Service Act

1941: ‘It's only a maneuver’

1942: Dogs Defense group founded

1943: US Army Fights the Japanese in Alaska

1944: Operation Neptune

1945: Dachau (mostly) liberated

1946: The 'mutiny of American troops after WWII

1947: The World War II draft expires

1948: Truman desegregates the US Military

1949 Army withdraws from Korea

1950: Attack on Korea authorized

1951: China supports North Korea

1952: Armistice talks stall

1953: Korean War ends

1954: McCarthy hearings begin

1955: Operation Gyroscope

1956: M113 ships to Vietnam

1957: Operation Plumbbob

1958: Elvis Presley joins up

1959: First soldiers killed in Vietnam

1960: Laos is determined to be non-threatening

1961: Green Berets receive real green berets

1962: Army troops head to Florida airfields

1963: Operation Biglift

1964: South Vietnamese training begins

1965: China Beach

1966: Army forces in Vietnam number 200,000

1967: Operation Malheur I and II

1968: My Lai massacre

1969: The Battle of Hamburger Hill

1970: Koza riot in Okinawa, Japan

1971: Women recruitment is up

1972: Withdrawals begin from Vietnam

1973: Withdrawal from Vietnam concludes

1974: Tensions rise

1975: Mandatory defensive weapons training for women

1976: Operation Paul Bunyan

1977: Army admits to 27 germ warfare tests conducted on public property

1978: Jonestown Massacre

1979: Faulty pilot ejection controls found

1980: Bright Star military exercise commences

1981: US Army gets a new look

1982: New recruits, new (amended) requirements

1983: US Army invades Grenada

1984: Pedro Colondres-Rosa defrauds US Army

1985: El Salvador raid

1986: US troops arrive in Honduras

1987: US Army Airborne heads to Honduras

1988: US takes on Nicaraguan insurgents

1989: Operation Just Cause

1990: Gulf War starts

1991: Gulf ground war begins

1992: US troops offer humanitarian aid in Somalia

1993: Battle of Mogadishu

1994: Operation Uphold Democracy

1995: Peace treaty ends Bosnia-Herzegovina conflict

1996: All-Black Korean War unit has honor restored

1997: 7 Black WWII soldiers get Medal of Honor

1998: Bosnia mission zaps US Army strength

1999: Yugoslavians hold U.S. soldiers captive

2000: 49th Armored Division deploys

2001: 9/11

2002: Army uses video games for recruitment, training

2003: US Army invades Baghdad amidst looters

2004: Second Battle of Fallujah

2005: Iraqi election

2006: President Bush visits Afghanistan

2007: Troops need more sleep

2008: Felons join up

2009: Army major kills 13 in Fort Hood

2010: Army sent to Haiti for relief effort

2011: US troops leave Iraq

2012: Military gets trimmed

2013: Women join the front lines

2014: Army hairstyles get a closer look

2015: Army shrinks to pre-WWII levels

2016: Army reduced further

2017: Immigrant recruits can't serve

2018: US Army has stations throughout Africa

2019: First woman poised to lead US Army Infantry division

2020: COVID-19 upends the military

2021: Extended-range guided rocket successfully traverses 80 km

FLORENCE, Ala. (AP) — A capital murder suspect who authorities say went on the lam for 10 days with the help of an Alabama jail official was ordered to provide a DNA sample to prosecutors.

Lauderdale County District Judge Carole C. Medley did not cite a reason why the sample was needed from Casey White, but she approved the state's request in an order Wednesday, records show.

Keep scrolling for photos from the search for Casey White and Vicky White

White, who is being held at a state prison after being recaptured in Indiana last week, must provide the sample by Friday or "as soon as practicable," Medley said, and a defense lawyer can observe the process.

White was charged with escape after leaving the Lauderdale County jail in a patrol car driven by Vicky White, the assistant corrections director. Casey White surrendered after being cornered in Evansville, Indiana, and Vicky White, 56, died of a gunshot wound that a coroner determined was self-inflicted.

Latest Headlines

Inside the manhunt for an escaped murder suspect and jailer

• By MICHAEL BALSAMO, Associated Press

An attorney for Casey White has not commented publicly since the arrest and did not oppose the request for a DNA sample, made in the escape case. But the prisoner's mother said she doubts her son knew about the escape until Vicky White came to take him from jail for a supposed mental evaluation April 29.

White is scheduled to go on trial in June on a capital murder charge in the slaying of Connie Ridgeway in 2015, although a delay is possible. Authorities said the man confessed to the killing in 2020 while in prison for other crimes.

Typically there's nothing groundbreaking about a fast-food chain selling a hamburger. But Arby's has never sold one — until now.

Better known for its roast beef, the chain is adding a hamburger to its menu for the first time in its nearly 60-year history. Arby's announced Monday it's adding the "Wagyu Steakhouse Burger," which costs $5.99, as a limited-time offering beginning Monday through July 31.

Fast-food chains are constantly competing for customers' dollars and attention, and specialty offerings are a way to attract new customers and maintain existing ones. That's important for Arby's, which has 3,400 US restaurants, according to industry research firm Technomic. That's a substantially smaller footprint compared to other chains, like McDonald's (roughly 14,000 locations).

As prices surge, fast-food customers are growing increasingly picky about where they go out to eat, McDonald's noted on a recent call with analysts. More than ever, quick-serve restaurants are fighting for loyalty.

A surprising but popular item might do the trick at Arby's. Its new burger is blend of Wagyu beef and ground beef and will be "highest-quality burger the market has seen yet," the company said. The company spent more than two years developing the burger.

Wagyu, which means "Japanese cow," refers to specific breeds of cattle and is known for its rich flavor and buttery tenderness. Arby's version weighs in at 6.4 ounces and is a 52% blend of American Wagyu and 48% ground beef that is cooked "sous vide style" to create a juicy and tender burger.

"Instead of focusing on making billions of mediocre burgers, we're taking a stance on high-quality meat that deserves to be cooked properly," Patrick Schwing, Arby's chief marketing officer, said in a statement.

The Wagyu Steakhouse Burger is served with American cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onion and a "special burger sauce" on a toasted brioche bun. Arby's claims its 50% bigger than McDonald's Quarter Pounder, which about four years ago switched from frozen beef to fresh beef.

Arby's is owned by privately equity firm Inspire Brands, the country's second largest restaurant company that comprises of 32,000 locations across its brands, including Arby's, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Jimmy John's, Dunkin' and Sonic.

The privately held company recently announced Arby's sales at stores open at least a year grew more than 5% in the first quarter, closely mirroring its rivals like McDonald's and Wendy's. Inspire said it "achieved record performance results" last year, with global sales across all of its brands exceeding $30 billion. Figures from research firm Technomic said Arby's pulled in nearly $4.5 billion in revenue last year, an increase of 6% year over year.

The top 10 fast-food restaurants for customer satisfaction

1. Chick-fil-A

2. Domino's

3. KFC

4. Starbucks

5. Five Guys

6. Panera Bread

7. Pizza Hut

8. Arby’s

9. Chipotle Mexican Grill

10. Dunkin' Donuts