Tuesday, May 24, 2022, was primary runoff day in Texas. On the Republican side, the biggest story was the fight between Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has been under indictment on state securities charges since 2015, and his challenger, Land Commissioner George P. Bush. (Paxton won.) On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, whose home and office the FBI had recently raided, faced a young progressive challenger, Jessica Cisneros. (Cuellar won.)
When news emerged that afternoon that children had been shot at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, we had to pivot immediately even while covering the election. We are no stranger to mass shootings — having covered them in Sutherland Springs in 2017; Santa Fe, Texas, in 2018; and El Paso and Midland-Odessa in 2019 — but this was the first in which we went all in. The first journalists we sent to Uvalde were Sergio Flores, a freelance photojournalist; Erin Douglas, our climate reporter; and Jason Beeferman, a student fellow from Northwestern University.
Flores, who had been assigned to cover Paxton’s election night watch party that evening in Williamson County, was one of the first photojournalists on the scene. As general assignment reporter Sneha Dey anchored the breaking news story, we leaned in to our strength: public policy. Criminal justice reporter Jolie McCullough and higher education reporter Kate McGee chronicled the repeated loosening of gun laws in Texas — where Republicans have won every election for state office since 1994 and have controlled both houses of the Legislature since 2003.
Later in the day, editors huddled with our joint Tribune-ProPublica investigative unit to begin identifying accountability angles that we would pursue in the weeks and months to come.
Meanwhile, we mobilized roughly two dozen reporters, who cover a state of 30 million. Video journalist Jinitzail Hernández, who is based in San Antonio, made the hourlong drive to Uvalde that first evening. They were soon joined by education reporter Brian Lopez and accountability reporter Zach Despart, and later by Alexa Ura, who covers demographics, and Uriel J. García, who covers immigration.
We have maintained a consistent presence in Uvalde ever since. Here are the 73 items we published in the first two weeks.
Tuesday, May 24
12:17 p.m. — The shooting is first reported by the local school district, which tweets: “There is an active shooter at Robb Elementary. Law enforcement is on site.” The school had gone into lockdown approximately 45 minutes earlier at 11:32 a.m. At this time, we do not have a grasp on the severity of the situation, as initial reports dramatically underestimated the death count.
3:15 p.m. — We publish our initial story, citing law enforcement as saying that at least two people were dead and more than a dozen others injured. This story would be updated dozens of times over the next eight hours.
5:33 p.m. — Tribune homepage:
6:06 p.m. — Sergio Flores, a freelance photojournalist who regularly works with us, is the third news photographer to arrive in Uvalde. He shared this photo:
7:09 p.m. — The scene outside the school, as captured by Flores:
8:32 p.m. — We update our long-running timeline of Texas mass shootings: Texas has had eight mass shootings in the past 13 years, while lawmakers have steadily loosened restrictions on carrying firearms
9:15 p.m. — Our first policy story puts the shooting into context: Confronted with mass shootings, Texas Republicans have repeatedly loosened gun laws
10:11 p.m. — Managing editor Matthew Watkins, the parent of a 6-year-old and 9-year-old, writes an analysis about the grim cycle familiar to so many American journalists: Analysis: Grief. Horror. Inaction. Texas mass shootings follow a numbing script
11:45 p.m. — Tribune homepage:
11:49 p.m. — A second policy story captures the immediate resistance to gun policy reform: Top Texas Republicans resist gun control and push for more armed teachers and police at schools in wake of Uvalde shooting
Wednesday, May 25
2:12 a.m. — Our reporters on the ground in Uvalde talk to parents and community members. This included original on-the-scene photography.
11:28 a.m. — Our chief communications officer Natalie Choate emails all staff: “What happened yesterday is difficult to unpack, much less to cover, but cover it we must. Texas and the nation are counting on us.” The email adds: “If you’re struggling with the grief and pain of this moment, you’re not alone. Talk to your supervisor about what you need to take care of yourself and what extra support they can provide to you at this time.”
6:15 a.m. — We send our daily newsletter with the subject line “Uvalde massacre is Texas’ deadliest school shooting”
8:52 a.m. — Tribune homepage:
11:07 a.m. — Uvalde gunman legally bought AR rifles days before shooting, law enforcement says
11:15 a.m. — Texas law enforcement provide some details about Uvalde school shooting, but many questions remain
11:30 a.m. — Beto O’Rourke, the Democratic challenger for governor, sitting next to Tribune reporter Erin Douglas before Gov. Greg Abbott’s press conference:
11:36 a.m. — We stream a video ahead of Greg Abbott’s press conference, at which the Democratic challenger showed up to confront him
12:20 p.m. — We are one of the first to report that Greg Abbott attended a political fundraiser in the evening after the Uvalde school shooting
1:10 p.m. — Beto O’Rourke confronts Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at Uvalde press conference: “This is on you”
2:26 p.m. — Gov. Greg Abbott won’t say whether he plans to attend NRA convention in Houston on Friday
5:15 p.m. — Churchgoers attend Mass at Sacred Heart Church:
6:18 p.m. — “What do we say?” Texas parents struggle with kids’ questions over Uvalde shooting
7:17 p.m. — This time, Gov. Greg Abbott has few suggestions on how the state might prevent future mass shootings
7:33 p.m. — Here’s how to help Uvalde shooting victims, survivors and their families
Thursday, May 26
12:07 a.m. — Uvalde has prayed for victims elsewhere. Now, mourners here pray for one another.
2:11 p.m. — Texas already “hardened” schools. It didn’t save Uvalde.
2:14 p.m. — Authorities took an hour to stop Uvalde gunman, raising questions about law enforcement response
4:10 p.m. — Why 18-year-olds can buy AR-15s in Texas but not handguns
7:24 p.m. — Tale of two senators: Cruz doubles down against gun regulation while Cornyn leads GOP in negotiations
10:16 p.m. — Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick cancel in-person NRA convention appearances in wake of Uvalde mass shooting
Friday, May 27
10:09 a.m. — Watch live: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to address Uvalde school shooting investigation at 3:30 p.m. CT
12:19 p.m. — “The wrong decision”: Texas DPS says local police made crucial error as school shooting continued
2:10 p.m. — Watch: Grief shattered Uvalde; it has united it, too
4:11 p.m. — Gov. Greg Abbott says he was misled about poor police response to Uvalde shooting
4:32 p.m. — Uvalde shooting pushes Texas teachers to breaking point
5:39 p.m. — TribCast: Another terrible week in Texas
6:51 p.m. — 21 lives lost: Uvalde victims were a cross-section of a small, mostly Latino town in South Texas
7:07 p.m. — At NRA convention after Uvalde massacre, attendees describe a culture under siege
7:21 p.m. — Addressing NRA in Houston, Donald Trump rejects gun regulations and calls for school safety overhaul
9 p.m. — What we know, minute by minute, about how the Uvalde shooting and police response unfolded
Saturday, May 28
5 a.m. — Trump and Cruz propose “hardened” one-door schoolhouses. Experts say that’s not a credible solution.
6:24 p.m. — 21 chairs are set up outside of a day care facility on Main Street in Uvalde to honor the two teachers and 19 students who died:
Sunday, May 29
5 a.m. — A gun and a prayer: How the far right took control of Texas’ response to mass shootings
12:55 p.m. — “Do something!” Biden is urged as he leaves Uvalde church
12:56 p.m. — U.S. Justice Department will review Uvalde response as furor mounts over law enforcement actions
4:04 p.m. — “This is not us”: Tight-knit Uvalde, rooted in Texas history, navigates incalculable grief
Monday, May 30
5 a.m. — After another mass shooting, Texas Democrats again push for gun control measures
12:44 p.m. — Join us in 21 minutes of silence for the 21 victims in the Uvalde school shooting
Tuesday, May 31
5 a.m. — Analysis: History suggests attention on gun policy will fade well before the November elections
4:59 p.m. — Uvalde buries 10-year-old Amerie Jo Garza, the first of many funerals to come
5:34 p.m. — Narratives, and blame, shift again as dysfunction engulfs shooting probe
Wednesday, June 1
5 a.m. — Essay: America’s first modern mass shooting never really ended
5 a.m. — Beto O’Rourke renews calls for tougher gun laws after Uvalde shooting, including on assault weapons
5 a.m. — Gun ownership is ingrained in Uvalde’s culture. Some here are rethinking how it should be regulated.
10:52 a.m. — Gov. Greg Abbott asks for legislative recommendations in response to Uvalde shooting
1:22 p.m. — Uvalde students and staff not returning to Robb Elementary School after deadly shooting
3:03 p.m. — Five injured victims remain hospitalized one week after Uvalde school shooting
6:59 p.m. — Irma and Joe Garcia, a teacher and her heartbroken husband, are buried together in Uvalde
Thursday, June 2
5:43 p.m. — Partisan tensions flare among Texans in congressional gun hearing
8:04 p.m. — President Biden calls on Congress to pass assault weapons ban, other restrictions
Friday, June 3
5 a.m. — For the children who survived the Uvalde shooting uninjured, trauma will take time to heal
11:36 a.m. — House Speaker Dade Phelan announces legislative committee to investigate Uvalde shooting
12:56 p.m. — In battered Uvalde, where a police chief is in hiding, grief gives way to calls for accountability
12:57 p.m. — A corrido is written for the lost “Angels of Uvalde” as Latino artists begin crafting tributes
2:44 p.m. — Police chief who led the response to the school shooting in Uvalde had no radio at the scene, reports say
5:54 p.m. — Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick calls for spending $50 million to buy bulletproof shields for school police
6:30 p.m. — Lawyers for 10-year-old victim zero in on marketing of gun used in Uvalde school shooting
8:10 p.m. — At first meeting since massacre, Uvalde school board takes no action on police chief
Saturday, June 4
Monday, June 6
6:31 p.m. — John Cornyn says bipartisan gun legislation won’t include weapons bans or expanding background checks
Tuesday, June 7
5 a.m. — Texas Republicans want to arm more school employees, but few districts are opting in
3:28 p.m. — Uvalde native Matthew McConaughey visits White House to push for stricter gun laws and mental health reform
4:30 p.m. — Tribune reporter Uriel J. García and video journalist Jinitzail Hernández interview Father Eduardo Morales at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
