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19 Children, 2 Adults Killed In Texas School Rampage; Biden Visiting Texas To Meet With Families Of Uvalde School Massacre Victims; Shooter's Text Messages Reveal Timeline Of Events; Family Remembers 10-year-old Jose Flores, Jr.; Damning Report Cites Many Instances of Drunken Parties; Global Leaders Send Condolences to Families of Victims. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired May 26, 2022 - 01:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[01:00:10]

JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm John Vause at CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.

We begin with a small Texas community and a nation in mourning. As the investigation into today's deadly school shooting raises new questions about why it happened and how law enforcement responded.

Vigils are underway in Uvalde, Texas for the 19 children and two teachers gunned down inside Robb elementary by an 18-year-old high school dropout.

Others have been leaving flowers and balloons at a makeshift memorial outside the school in the mostly Latino community not far from the border with Mexico.

A friend says the gunman Salvador Ramos had a history of fighting, as seen here on video obtained by CNN. Texas authorities reportedly had no criminal record, no known history of mental illness.

Investigators believed Ramos was inside the school for 40 minutes to an hour barricaded inside two adjoining classrooms before he was shot and killed by a border patrol agent.

Slowly, we're learning more about the lives of the 19 children and two teachers who were shot dead by a lone teenager with a semi-automatic. One of the teachers is Irma Garcia, a wife and four children. Garcia's nephew told The Washington Post, Irma died shielding students from gunfire.

Amerie Jo Garza was just 10 years old. Her father told CNN's Anderson Cooper how he learned that his little girl was never coming home from school.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANGEL GARZA, DAUGTHER KILLED IN SHOOTING: So I got confirmation from two other students in her classroom that she was just trying to call authorities. And I guess he just either are you looking at his girl Oh, my baby, I miss you. My baby.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: All of the dead were in the same fourth grade classroom, all 19 young lives described as precious. Their teachers dedicated and caring. More now from CNN's Boris Sanchez.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): 21 lives brutally cut short, 21 families now shattered by an act of violence all too common in the United States. 19 children now gone just days before the start of summer break. None yet out of fourth grade.

Like 10 year old Hosea Garcia (ph), whose uncle calls him a great kid and full of life. He loved video games and anything with wheels. Hosea's grandfather Manny Renfro calling his grandson the sweetest little boy he's ever known.

Renfro telling affiliate KSAT he played football with Hosea, that he was fast could catch well and remembered all the routes they practiced. And Amerie Jo Garza just 10 years old. Her father Angel telling CNN he finally learned his daughter's fate from a classmate covered in blood.

GARZA: She was hysterical saying that they shot her best friend. I think killed her best friend. She's not breathing and she was trying to call the cops and that's the little girl the name and she's -- and she told me she said Amerie. Are you looking at this girl and she would --

Javier Lopez also 10 was excited to start Middle School. His mom Felicia Martinez told The Washington Post he was recognized in an honorable ceremony only hours before the unthinkable. She said she'd never forget his smile. Quote, he was funny, never serious.

Jose Flores Jr. also just 10, his father Jose senior telling CNN his son was an amazing kid and a loving big brother to his younger siblings. Always full of energy. He loved baseball and video games.

Alexandria Aniyah Rubio, Lexi as she was called, had just received an award for the honor roll the morning of the shooting. Lexi's parents describe her as kind and sweet with a big future ahead. They tell CNN she loved basketball and wanted to go to law school. Her mother, Kimberly Mata-Rubio posted this to Facebook. Quote, my beautiful smart Alexandria received the good citizen award. We told her we loved her and would pick her up after school. We had no idea this was goodbye.

And fourth grade teacher Eva Mireles, an educator for 17 years. Her profile on the school district's website describes her love of running and hiking and spending time with her family. A family that includes a college graduate daughter Adalynn. Adalynn posting a gut wrenching tribute to her mother on Twitter describing her mom has her best friend and twin and calling her a hero, detailing how she tried to save the lives of her students by jumping in front of them.

[01:05:09]

AMBER YBARRA, RELATIVE OF EVA MIRELES: She was a vivacious soul. She spread laughter and joy everywhere she went. She was a loving and caring mom, relative teacher to her students.

SANCHEZ: The second adults, another teacher, Irma Garcia was finishing her 23rd year of teaching. Her school biography says she and her husband Joe were married for 24 years and had four kids together. She loved to barbecue and listen to music.

LALO DIAZ, IRMA GARCIA'S CLASSMATE: The teacher Irma Garcia was someone that was a year below me in school. I knew put known her probably 30 years, 25 years.

SANCHEZ: At least 17 others were wounded. University Hospital in San Antonio is still caring for four victims, three children and one 66- year-old woman, the shooters grandmother listed in serious condition. Officials say the gunman shot her in the face before he ran into school and began his shooting rampage.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is in the news somewhere else but not here. But it is happened in here. You think it's big town, big community, small town like Uvalde.

SANCHEZ (on camera): And CNN has confirmed the identities of four or more victims killed in Tuesday's shooting. One of them Annabelle Guadalupe Rodriguez was just 10 years old. She was a third grader and her family says that she was actually at school in class with her cousin, who apparently was also killed in the shooting.

Eliana "Ellie" Garcia just nine years old is another victim. Her family says that she loved playing basketball and cheerleading and dreamed of one day becoming a teacher.

Another victim Tess Marie Mata was just 10 years old. Her family says that she loved Ariana Grande and was saving up money to fulfill her dream of one day taking her family to Disney World. Another victim, Eliahana Cruz Torres, she was just 10 years old. And her family tells CNN quote, our baby earned her wings. Boris Sanchez, CNN Uvalde, Texas.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

VAUSE: When it comes to preventing mass shootings in the U.S., especially those targeting children, the U.S. Congress has been a spectacular failure. Tuesday's massacre in Texas marks the 30th mass shooting at an American kindergarten through 12th grade school just this year.

Lawmakers in Washington are not even close to agreeing on new gun control legislation. The roadblocks are basically Republican and making of an fixating on mental illness saying it's not the killer. It's the killer rather not the weapon responsible for the bloodshed.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Senator, can you assault rifles are necessary for Americans to own?

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): Well, you know, I own one, and I've never heard anybody with it. The second amendment is part of our Constitution and banning a particular set of guns with be, you know, Democrats want to impose the assault weapons ban again, bring it up. Let's go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: But let's vote rings hollow when frustrated Democrats with a razor thin majority of the Senate already know they don't have the votes to push through any kind of weapons ban or even background checks.

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SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): I spent all of last year bending over backwards trying to find a compromise with Republicans. I sat down with one Republican then I sat down with another Republican, I could not get a compromise that could get more than two or three Republicans and we don't need 50 Republicans we only need 10 or 12 Republicans.

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VAUSE: The U.S. president will soon head to Texas and visit with the families of the school shooting victims and play the role of comforter in chief. CNN's Phil Mattingly has details.

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PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): For President Biden, the day after the horrific mass murder down in Texas echoed the first day of the events basically exhausted, outrage and more calls to do something what exactly that something will be it's still very much an open question.

But the President making clear despite multiple efforts over the course of several years to try and pressure Capitol Hill to pressure Republicans on Capitol Hill to agree or at least come to the table and compromise on some types of new gun restrictions. It hasn't worked. This time the President hopes could be different, potentially take us.

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: We must ask when in God's name will we do what needs to be done to if not completely stopped fundamentally changed the amount of the carnage that goes on in this country? To state the obvious, like Cory and a lot of other people here I'm sick and tired. I'm just sick and tired of what's going on and continues to go on.

MATTINGLY: Now, it's notable there are two bills passed by House Democrats related to background checks that could be brought up in the Senate where Senate Democrats control things at any point.

[01:10:00]

However, there has been no immediate move to do just that. Both Senate Democrats and the White House giving some space at the moment to try and facilitate bipartisan talks of some kind, perhaps to bring back bipartisan talks that have gotten close, but eventually fallen short, particularly as it pertains to background checks or red flag laws.

It's still very unclear where there's those talks will go and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has also made clear it is not going to be an endless negotiation. There is a pretty clear 10 to 11 day deadline on those talks.

However, the fact that the White House isn't explicitly backing specific proposals isn't explicitly stating that one or two proposals has to get done underscores the fact that as the president tries to shift that dynamic, the dynamic that has been so firmly in place now for more than a decade, he wants something to get done. Whether that happens, though, remains a very open question.

The President obviously will be traveling to Texas in the days ahead. He likely will give remarks while he's there. But he made the point earlier on Wednesday that his primary responsibility, his primary goal while he's there would be to talk to the families, the families of the 19 children who were killed, to hear what they have to say, and try and share some empathy with them in this most trying and horrific moments. Phil Mattingly, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

VAUSE: Gun laws in Texas are among the least restrictive in the U.S. and last year, Governor Greg Abbott approved a law allowing permitless carry. Permitless carry which means Texans can carry handguns in public without a license or training. And on Wednesday, he pushed back on a call for gun reform saying tougher gun laws are not a real solution. CNN's Nick Watt takes a closer look at how a teenager was able to buy guns legally in Texas.

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NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 19 small children slaughtered by a gunman not much older than they were. He was the legal owner of two AR 15 style rifles.

ROLAND GUTIERREZ, TEXAS STATE SENATE DEMOCRAT: They are assault rifles. So first thing he did when he turned 18.

WATT: A week ago, a day after his 18th birthday, he bought a rifle according to the local state senator. Next day, 375 rounds of ammunition. Two days after that, a second rifle. Four days later, shot 19 kids and two adults, dead. This killer couldn't legally buy a beer too immature, but could legally buy weapons of war.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maybe we can at least agree that we should raise the age for purchasing these weapons. WATT: Unlikely just last year, lawmakers lowered to 18 the age some Texans can get a handgun license. For rifles, Texas law mirrors federal 18 and up you can buy one of these after just a basic background check but from an unlicensed dealer or at a gun show, no check required.

Here in Liberal leaning California, the legal age to buy assault style rifles was up to 21 in 2019, struck down two weeks ago back to 18. Why? America would not exist without the heroism of the young adults who fought and died in our Revolutionary Army, wrote Judge Ryan Nelson. Today, we reaffirm that our constitution still protects the right that enabled their sacrifice, the right of young adults to keep and bear arms.

So, 18-year olds in California can buy semi-automatic weapons today. In part because teenage soldiers died carrying single shot muskets in a war more than 200 years ago.

SHANNON WATTS, FOUNDER, MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA: Stronger gun laws save lives. Weaker gun laws cause gun crime and gun violence. The data is in. We need our lawmakers to act.

WATT: This latest tragedy in Texas is very far from an isolated instance of a legally armed teenaged attacker.

Just 11 days ago, an 18-year-old white supremacist gunned down 13 people in a predominantly black neighborhood of Buffalo, New York, also armed with a semi-automatic weapon that he was also legally allowed to buy and own.

(on camera): What just happened in Uvalde, Texas, of course brings back memories of what happened in Sandy Hook, Connecticut nearly 10 years ago now. 20 kids and six adults gunned down also by a teenage gunman, also armed with an AR 15 style weapon that was bought legally.

Now in the wake of that Sandy Hook shooting the state of Connecticut change their laws mainly around the size of magazines that can be attached to those rifles. So, will Texas make any changes in the wake of what happened in Uvalde? Unlikely.

Last summer when Governor Abbott was making it basically easier for Texans to carry weapons, he said this, Texas will always be the leader in defending the Second Amendment. And at a press conference in Uvalde seemed not interested in any change. Nick Watt, CNN, Los Angeles.

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VAUSE: Joining me now from San Francisco, Robyn Thomas, Executive Director of the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Thank you for standing up for being with us.

I want to start with that one man protest, if you like by former Democratic congressman and Governor nominee, Beto O'Rourke. Here's part of it I want you -- this was at the governor's news conference on Wednesday.

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BETO O'ROURKE, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR TEXAS GOVERNOR: The time to stop the next shooting is right now and you are doing nothing. You're offering us nothing. You said this was not predictable, this is totally predictable when you choose not to do anything. Stop this from happening again.

UVALDE MAYOR DON MCLAUGHLIN: I can't believe you're a sick son of a bitch that would come to a deal like this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Is the main accusation there was that the governor of Texas has done nothing in way of gun reform to prevent something like this from happening. But the reality is it's actually kind of less than nothing. The Statehouse there has been moving to make it easier right to own and carry firearms.

ROBYN THOMAS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GIFFORDS LAW CENTER: Absolutely. I think in the last several years, Texas has done nothing, but make firearms laws weaker, not that there was that much in place to begin with. But even what was in place is now basically gone or, you know, as bad as any state can be. I know when we rank the states based on the strength of their gun laws, Texas gets an F from us for how weak their gun laws are.

And you know, because of that Texas has one of the highest gun death rates in the country. You know what Beto O'Rourke was saying there, which is that this is predictable. There are things that we can do to prevent these types of shootings and mass murder that we saw happening in that classroom. We can raise the minimum age for having firearms in this country. We can limit assault style weapons and large capacity ammunition. We could just have background checks on all gun sales.

I don't even know if most Americans realize that you don't even need to get a background check to buy a gun in Texas and yet, then you don't need a permit to carry a loaded gun in public. I mean, it's astounding how weak the gun laws are in Texas.

VAUSE: Yes, and specifically last September, Texas join 19 other states allowing anyone over 21 to carry a handgun without a permit without training, a new law, which the government at the time called the biggest and best gun law of 2021 that instilled freedom in Texas.

This actually goes back further to 2019. It was the response from state lawmakers after a shooting at a high school and another at a church. And they made it easier to get a gun, made access a lot easier, despite calls for the exact opposite.

So, a majority of Texans actually one of the tougher gun laws, they got less restrictive gun laws. So how does that happen?

THOMAS: Well, it happens because unless voters are willing to vote this issue, unless they're willing to actually hold elected officials accountable for passing these kinds of laws. They feel absolutely no obligation to listen to the electorate. They simply do what the gun lobby and the NRA tells them to do. They toe the line. And unless there's consequences, they don't worry about it too much.

And I think that is changing. I mean, over the last several election cycles at the federal level, we've seen literally dozens, if not hundreds, across the country of candidates running for gun safety, for gun violence prevention as their platform as champions, and they're winning. And that's new. That's really something that's just happened in the last three or four political cycles in this country.

So, there is a shift happening. And I think it's sometimes takes politicians a little while to catch up. And I do expect there are going to be consequences of an action in this next election cycle if Congress, if the Senate, if state legislatures continued to do nothing.

VAUSE: Yes, and one of the -- among the flow of new gun laws, which came into effect in Texas last year, is what's known as the Second Amendment sanctuary. This prohibits state officials from enforcing federal gun laws in Texas. Five other states have similar laws. But I'm just wondering, from a legal point of view, how does this actually work? Because the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, clearly states federal law generally takes precedence over state laws.

THOMAS: Absolutely. And it does. And what happens in these cases is that those laws get challenged. And in almost every instance, when states try to pass laws, abrogating or avoiding actually enforcing federal laws that they need to constitutionally and under the law, those sanctuary laws are struck down.

But I think in some ways, it's more of a statement. You know, politicians, particularly conservative districts, advocate for these laws, because it's sort of a rah, rah move. It's what makes their constituents feel good, like we don't have to follow the law.

But actually, as you so rightly pointed out, that's not how our government works. And inevitably, it gets turned around. But in the meantime, it creates this impression, I think, especially for things like local sheriffs who are elected in this country that they can actually choose pick and choose which laws that they want to enforce.

And you know, the amount of chaos and anarchy that that would result in is ridiculous so it does go down but in the meantime it's a really unfortunate message that gets sent out.

[01:20:07]

VAUSE: There's a lot of unfortunate things happening right now, Robyn, that is one of them. But thanks for being with us, Robyn Thomas there in San Francisco. Thank you.

THOMAS: Thanks for having me on.

VAUSE: Well, silly company as CNN has exclusive access to messages sent by the Texas governor, just minutes before the school rampage, telling a teenage girl in Germany exactly what he was playing.

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VAUSE: The Texas governor revealed details on Wednesday about messages sent by the gunman on Facebook before his killing spree. But CNN has uncovered more on the conversation between the shooter and a girl in Germany who he met online. Details out from CNN's Drew Griffin.

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DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the text conversation captured just moments before the 18- year-old shooter would attempt to kill his grandmother then in his words shoot up in elementary school.

[01:25:04]

You know what I'm going to do right now, he writes, tell me is the response. I can't since my grandpa hasn't left. I'm waiting for this dude to leave. Shortly after 11:00 a.m. Texas time, the suspect then complains about his grandmother and his phone bill. I'm waiting for this bitch. I'm going to do something to her right now. She's on with AT and T about my phone. It's annoying. Five minutes pass. Then I just shot my grandma in her head. I'm a go shoot up at elementary school right now.

That last message sent at 6:21pm German time, which would have been 11:21 a.m. in Uvalde, Texas. 11 minutes later, police received their first call of a shooting at Robb Elementary School.

The person on the receiving end of the text a 15-year-old girl in Germany. She had never met him in person. They connected through a live streaming app called Yubo. Then FaceTimed texted and he sent her videos of himself.

She says the shooter told her he'd bought some ammo Monday, but she told CNN she had no idea what he was planning. She's not the only person he was communicating with. The shooters Instagram account showed a photo of two AR style weapons and tagged another young woman who he messaged the morning of the shooting saying I'm about to but didn't finish his sentence. And then I got a little secret.

(on camera): The teenage girl who spoke to CNN from Germany with her mother's consent tells us her only connection with the shooter had been through texting with was somewhat innocuous conversations. But she did tell us about one conversation she had in which the shooter did alarm her and he said he liked to throw dead cats at people's houses. There was no explanation. Drew Griffin, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

VAUSE: Much more on the school shooting after a short break. Just ahead we go live to Uvalde, Texas, a community struggling with mass murder of young children.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [01:31:20]

VAUSE: Welcome back to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm John Vause.

The timeline of events is slowly emerging immediately before the shooting began at Robb Elementary in West Texas. 19 children ages 9 to 10, two adult teachers died in that massacre, 17 people were also wounded.

And we now know the name of another child who was shot dead. Nevaeh Bravo, 10 years old. The devastated family says she always put a smile on everyone's face.

The gunman Salvador Ramos was initially engaged by officers when he arrived at the school. But Ramos managed to barricade himself inside a crowded classroom and there he began to shoot.

Vigils for the victims were held in various places on Wednesday. A local official told CNN's Anderson Cooper he believes the grieving community will be strengthened by the tragedy.

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RONALD GARZA, UVALDE COUNTY COMMISSIONER: Our community may have differences but in a time of need and a time of crisis, the people of Uvalde unite. That's what is good about this. If there's anything good about this it's going to, I think, bring our community together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: CNN's Chris Nguyen is live in Uvalde, Texas. And Chris, we just heard that official talking about the community coming together, being stronger for this. This is one day now after the shooting. What sense are you getting of how they're coping with this tragedy?

CHRIS NGUYEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, we've seen people come out to the school throughout the day to pay their respects to the fallen, dropping off flowers and stuffed animals in front of the school at the "Welcome" sign in honor of those victims and their families.

This just has been so tough for this close-knit community as they try to process their collective grief. The common sentiment that we've been hear is just how unfair all of this has been, unfair because these kids had the rest of their lives ahead of them. These kids many of whom were in the fourth grade getting ready to head out on summer break, just two days away from doing so.

Earlier that morning they had just celebrated their end of the school year award ceremony in which students were recognized for getting on to the honor roll, best attendance, et cetera. And so for this to happen just -- it's painful.

And we did speak to a woman earlier tonight who called this town resilient but John they are certainly going to be tested in the weeks and months to come. VAUSE: Yes, absolutely. We're also having new details emerge about the

events just before and after the gunman entered the school. And at one point it seemed as this gunman was held up inside a classroom, parents were at the school now begging police to actually go in, to engage with the gunman.

So what more do we know about that?

NGUYEN: Yes, the gunman was inside the school for up to an hour before police entered into the room, the classroom where he was in, and then killed him.

Officials tell us that the shooter was in a stand off with police. Barricading himself for about 30 minutes while the rest of the students and faculty were being evacuated from the school.

Officials maintaining that they needed to come up with a tactical strategy and so this appears to align with what we've been hearing in terms of the reports with the parents wanting to enter the premises to try to take matters into their own hands, John.

[01:34:54]

VAUSE: Chris, we appreciate the update there. Chris Nguyen in Uvalde with the very latest.

Well, among the dead is Jose Flores, Jr., a fourth grader described as an amazing kid, the kind of big brother every kid would like to have.

CNN's Gary Tuchman spoke with his family.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): 10-year-old Jose Flores Jr. had a huge smile on his face when he received this honor roll certificate at school on Tuesday. Just a few hours later the world changed.

This is his mother, father and three siblings. Jose Flores, Sr. went to the hospital hoping his son was a patient there.

He says a nurse took him into a hospital chapel.

(on camera): What did the nurse tell you?

JOSE FLORES, SR., FATHER OF JOSE FLORES, JR.: I mean as soon as they took me to the room I already knew what it was about. She didn't have to say much because of the way she took me in there. The way she said have a seat, we're going to talk to you, we got to tell you some things. I mean I already knew what was next.

TUCHMAN (voice over): Jose Jr., a loving son and big brother did not survive the gunman's rampage. Jose Sr. called his wife Cynthia.

CYNTHIA FLORES: He just said my baby didn't make it. TUCHMAN: It seemed like a nightmare. Jose, Sr. and Cynthia just

couldn't comprehend their eldest child was gone. Jose, Sr. asked some Texas Rangers at the hospital if he could see his son.

FLORES, SR.: One of the rangers told me, came to me. He's like as a father I wouldn't let you go back there and see him because he was not recognizable.

TUCHMAN: Jose Jr.'s five-year-old brother Jaden took us into his bedroom that he shared with his big brother. On Jose Jr.'s bed all of his favorite stuffed animals from when he was a little boy and a set of clothes that his parents say he will wear in his casket.

FLORES, SR.: I didn't get to hold him no more. I didn't -- I didn't get to see him any more.

Just at the funeral might not be an open casket for the same reason.

TUCHMAN: Jose Jr. wanted to be a police officer when he grew up. He wanted to protect others, especially his baby brother Jace.

C. FLORES: When it was just me and him he was so good, he's helpful, helping here around the house, like he would just help me like my little shadow. Like he'll just be helping me and stuff, like with the baby -- he had a thing with babies, like my friends' babies, like, he's just very good with babies. He was always nice.

TUCHMAN: When Jace grows up, your little baby, what do you tell Jace about his brother Jose?

FLORES, SR.: He really loved his little brother. He loved him. He was a little helper.

TUCHMAN: Andrea is nine months younger than Jose, Jr.

(on camera): What did you like most about your brother?

ANDREA FLORES, SISTER OF JOSE FLORES, JR.: That he really supports me and he would always play with me.

TUCHMAN (voice over): Andrea and Jose, Jr. were both in fourth grade in the same school. She lived through the same horror but was in a different fourth grade classroom.

A. FLORES: There was just a bunch of gunshots going through the windows and doors. And a bunch of knocking and banging.

TUCHMAN: The emotional challenges are many for this family. They have lost their son and brother but their memories of a sweet boy who wanted to be a policeman because he wanted to protect others will live on forever.

Gary Tuchman, CNN -- Uvalde, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[01:38:36]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: Ukraine's foreign ministry has condemned Moscow's new fast track to citizenship process for Ukrainians living in Russian- controlled territory, saying it is a gross violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and international law. The Russian president signed the decree on Wednesday.

Vladimir Putin was also seen making a rare visit to a military hospital. The images though were released by the Kremlin with Putin wearing a medical gown, spoke with soldiers wounded in Ukraine where the fighting grinds on.

Ukraine reports an intense offensive by Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, as they attempt to seize the town of Lyman in the Donetsk region.

In the Luhansk region, Ukraine says there's been fierce battles around the city of Severodonetsk with 1 military official saying shelling has increased exponentially.

And in the Kharkiv region, officials say two people were killed, seven injured by Russian shelling in the town of Bakliava (ph) in the front lines.

First official finding in Britain's party-gate scandal have reignited calls for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to step down. A report by a senior civil servant (INAUDIBLE) investigated 16 events among Number 10 staffers that were in violation of strict COVID lockdowns.

The Prime Minister initially told parliament there were none despite the few reports. Mr. Johnson says he's not quitting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I overwhelmingly feel it is my job to get on and deliver no matter how bitter and painful the conclusions of this may be and they are. No matter how humbling they are, I've got to keep moving forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: More now on the report from CNN's Bianca Nobilo.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Deceit (ph) and scandal within the heart of government.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The value symbolized by the door of Number 10 must be restored.

NOBILO: Wednesday morning a damning report listing rules broken by Downing Street during one of modern Britain's darkest times hits the prime minister's desk and the newspapers. JOHNSON: I take full responsibility for everything that took place on

my watch.

[01:44:51]

NOBILO: Alcohol-fueled parties until the early hours, sickness, brawling, karaoke and cleaners forced to mop up the splashed wine, while the rest of the country was banned from gathering with friends or relatives due to COVID restrictions imposed by the same government that's been fined 126 times for disregarding them. Senior civil servant Sue Gray, the author of "The Investigation" criticized the senior leadership at the center of Johnson's administration which must bear responsibility for a culture that allowed parties to take place.

A message from Johnson's former private secretary boasted that they got away with a drinks event in May 2020. In one e-mail exchange staffer told to avoid walking around waving bottles of wine while reporters were in the building and to keep the sound down at gatherings when a COVID press conference was taking place.

Johnson said he was surprised, disappointed and appalled by the revelations laid out in the 60-page report.

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH LABOUR PARTY LEADER: When the dust settles and the anger subsides this report will stand as a monument to the hubris and the arrogance of a government that believed it was one rule for them and another rule for everyone else.

JOHNSON: There was no party.

NOBILO: Having repeatedly told parliament that no parties or rule- breaking ever took place, Johnson was eventually forced to concede he had in fact broken the law, the first sitting British prime minister to do so. Censured but unbowed.

JOHNSON: Sue Gray's report has emphasized that it is up to the political leadership in Number 10 to take ultimate responsibility and, of course, I do.

NOBILO: MPs including one of the prime minister's own called on him to resign.

TOBIAS ELLWOOD, BRITISH CONSERVATIVE MP: Can we continue to govern without distraction given the erosion of the trust with the British people.

CHRIS BRYANT, BRITISH LABOUR MP: Does he show no contrition, no sense of shame that Downing Street under him has been a cesspit, full of arrogant, entitled narcissists.

NOBILO: The British constitution is uncodified, historically it's been upheld by the tradition that senior politicians will resign from office over principle, scandal, error or if they have misled parliament.

Bianca Nobilo, CNN -- London. (END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan has called off protests in the capital Islamabad after demonstrators clashed with police in multiple cities on Wednesday.

Police fired teargas at crowds in some areas, arresting more than 1,700 people according to a police document. Khan's supporters were demonstrating for new elections. Pakistan's human rights commission condemns the police violence. Khan had led a convoy of thousands into Pakistan's capital as the army was called in to protect (INAUDIBLE).

The former cricketer (ph) turned politician was removed from power in a no-confidence vote last month. Khan warns though he will return to the capital if the government doesn't call for elections by June 1.

Well, as the U.S. reels from another senseless shooting, the global community is reaching out. Leaders around the world signaling their support -- or sending their support in condolences. We'll have their messages after the break.

[01:48:12]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: Mass shootings especially at schools leaving a trail of dead bodies of little children and at times teenagers is a uniquely American problem. And from around the world messages of condolences Wednesday for the victims of the shooting at Robb Elementary.

Here's CNN's Randi Kaye.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In the midst of a war Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took time to offer his sympathy.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I would like to express my condolences to all of the relatives and family members of the children who were killed in an awful shooting in Texas.

KAYE: In his own condolence message French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted this. "Children and teachers were murdered in a cowardly attack in their Texas school." Adding, "We share the shock and grief of the American people and the rage of those who are fighting to end the violence.

Also on Twitter Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote, "My heart breaks. I'm thinking of the parents, the families, the friends, the classmates and the coworkers whose lives have been forever changed. Canadians are mourning with you and are here for you."

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the country's labor leader also weighed in on the shooting at Robb Elementary. JOHNSON: Our thoughts are with all those affected by this attack.

STARMER: It is an unspeakable tragedy and our hearts are with the American people.

KAYE: London's mayor expressed his grief, too, tweeting he's utterly heartbroken. "My prayers are with the families of those lost and the community," he said, adding, London stands with Uvalde and all those campaigning to enact laws to end the senseless and devastating attacks.

This was New Zealand's Prime Minister on CBS' "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert".

JACINDA ARDERN, NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER: When I watch from afar and see -- such as those today, I think of them not as a politician but I see them just as a mother and I'm so sorry for what has happened here.

KAYE: Germany's chancellor tweeted, his thoughts are with the, calling it an inconceivable massacre for which hardly any words can be found.

Israeli's Prime Minister Naphtali Bennett tweeted Israel mourns together with the American people. And Mexico's president sent a big hug to the families of the victims along with his condolences, pain and solidarity.

And from the Vatican, the Holy Father.

[01:54:54]

POPE FRANCIS, PONTIFF OF THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH (through translator): I am heartbroken by the massacre at the elementary school in Texas. I pray for the children and the adults who were killed and for their family.

Let's all make a commitment so that tragedy like this cannot happen again.

KAYE: Randi Kaye, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: It's been a tough couple of days but thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM.

I'm John Vause.

Our coverage continues with my friend and colleague Rosemary Church after a short break.

[01:55:19]

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