Local official says Biden wants to tear down Robb Elementary School in Uvalde

President Biden reportedly told a local Texas official that he wants to tear down Robb Elementary School, where a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers in the deadliest shooting since 20 children and 6 adults died at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012. 

Democratic state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, told local television station KSAT 12 in an interview that Biden told him “we’re going to raze that school and build a new one.”  

Biden and first lady Jill Biden visited a memorial for the slain students and teachers at Robb Elementary School on Sunday and then attended a mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church before meeting with the survivors and families of the victims.  

Gutierrez welcomed the president and first lady when they arrived in San Antonio Sunday morning aboard Air Force One.  

The state senator said Biden pledged to support the community, telling him “I’m not going away” and “I’m going to bring your resources.” 

Gutierrez told KSAT 12 that he plans to move a field office to Uvalde to better service his constituents.  

The Department of Justice announced Sunday that it would investigate the police response to the shooting after it was reported that local police officers waited to confront the shooter for more than an hour while children were trapped in a classroom with the killer.  

Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin requested the investigation.  

Gutierrez told CNN’s Dana Bash that one girl who was shot in the back likely bled to death while police waited outside, and may have lived if medical first responders had reached her sooner.