Back in Texas, the state Senate Democratic caucus issued a call Saturday for Governor Greg Abbott to convene an emergency session of the state legislature to pass legislation to raise the minimum age for firearm purchases, among other measures.
Chances of substantive change there appeared slim, however. Texas has long been one of the most gun-friendly states.
The Uvalde shooting was the deadliest school attack since 20 children and six staff were killed at the Sandy Hook school in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012.
Texas public safety department director Steven McCraw on Friday revealed a series of emergency calls -- including by a child begging for police help -- that were made from two adjoining classrooms where the gunman was barricaded.
But, explaining the delayed reaction by law enforcement, he said the on-scene commander believed at the time that Ramos was in there alone, with no survivors, after his initial assault.
McCraw separately told reporters, however, that a 911 call received at 12:16 pm reported eight or nine children still alive.
As many as 19 officers were outside the classroom door at that time, according to McCraw's timeline.
McCraw said one caller -- a child who dialed 911 multiple times -- begged for police to come. Her final call was cut off as she made it outside.
Meantime in Uvalde, Humberto Renovato urged those gathered at the courthouse square to help survivors overcome "the trauma, the pain, the suffering" they had endured.
"As a community," he said, "we have to develop strategies of how we're going to help these kids to get out of that trauma, to get out of that pain."
