US school shooting death toll 'expected to rise' with 21 already dead

Authorities say the victim death toll from the Texas school shooting now stands at 19 children and two adults. The latest figures come from Travis Considine, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety. The gunman also died.

However, Federal law enforcement officials - speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to release investigative details - said the death toll was expected to rise. Authorities offered no names or descriptions of the two adults.

It was the deadliest shooting at a US grade school since a gunman 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 armour killed 10 black shoppers and workers at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, in what authorities say was a racist attack. “My heart is broken today,” said Hal Harrell, the school district superintendent, announcing that all school activities were cancelled until further notice. “We’re a small community and we’re going to need your prayers to get through this.”

The gunman, who was wearing body armour and had hinted on social media of an upcoming attack, crashed his car outside the school and went inside armed, 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, Texas State Senator Roland Gutierrez said. “That was the first thing he did on his 18th birthday,” he said.

Federal law enforcement officials said the death toll was expected to rise. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to release investigative details.

The gunman entered Robb Elementary School