- Russian activist killed on front line in Ukraine
- Openda strike briefly sends Leipzig top of Bundesliga
- Goal-shy Man Utd have to 'step up', says Ten Hag
- India bowl out Bangladesh for 127 in T20 opener
- Madueke rescues Chelsea in draw with 10-man Forest
- Beckett's belief rewarded as Bluestocking storms to Arc glory
- Trump on the stump, Harris hits airwaves in razor-edge US election
- Flash flooding kills three in northern Thailand
- Kaur leads India to victory over Pakistan in Women's T20 World Cup
- Juventus held by Cagliari after late penalty drama
- In France's Marseille, teen 'stabbed 50 times' then burned alive
- Ruthless Gauff beats Muchova in straight sets to win China Open
- India restrict Pakistan to 105-8 in Women's T20 World Cup
- England target repeat of Pakistan Test whitewash
- Penrith Panthers win fourth straight NRL title after downing Storm
- Weary Sinner happy for day off after battling into Shanghai last 16
- Pakistan's Masood warns England still a force without Stokes
- Madrid's Carvajal to miss several months after serious knee injury
- Two elephants die in flash flooding in northern Thailand
- Sabalenka targets world number one and Wuhan hat-trick
- Tunisia votes with Saied set for re-election
- Bagnaia sets 'example' with Japan MotoGP win to cut gap on Martin
- Intense Israeli bombing rocks Beirut ahead of war anniversary
- Mozambique vote: no suspense but some disillusion
- Austrian rapper channels anti-racist rage in Romani hip-hop songs
- Ohtani magic powers Dodgers over Padres in MLB playoff thriller
- Five of the best: Pakistan-England Test thrillers
- Man sets arm on fire as marches across US mark Gaza war anniversary
- Vietnam's young coffee entrepreneurs brew up a revolution
- Trump rallies at site of failed assassination: 'Never quit'
- Too hot by day, Dubai's floodlit beaches are packed at night
- Is music finally reckoning with #MeToo?
- Fans hail Trump's 'guts' as he returns to site of rally shooting
- Lebanon state media says Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Miami on track for MLS record points after win in Toronto
- Monaco take top spot in Ligue 1 with win at Rennes
- Madrid beat Villarreal to level Liga leaders Barca
- Thuram treble fires Inter past Torino and up to second
- 'Fight': defiant Trump jets in to site of rally shooting
- Mexico City's new mayor sworn in with pledges on water, housing
- Israel on alert ahead of Hamas attack anniversary
- Guardians maul Tigers in MLB playoff series opener
- Macron criticises Israel on Gaza, Lebanon operations
- French rugby player whistled but 'serene' on return amid ongoing rape case
- Retegui hat-trick fires five-star Atalanta to hammering of Genoa
- Heavyweights Australia, England off to World Cup winning starts
- Visiting UN refugee agency chief decries 'terrible crisis' in Lebanon
- Spinners come to party as England defeat Bangladesh at T20 World Cup
- Search continues for missing in deadly Bosnia floods
- Man City sink Fulham to get title bid back on track
Police 'wrong' not to breach door during Texas shooting
A top Texas security official said Friday that police were wrong to delay storming the classroom where a teen gunman was holed up with dead and wounded children -- fueling fears that police inaction cost lives in Uvalde.
Police in the small town have come under intense criticism since Tuesday's tragedy over why it took well over an hour to neutralize the gunman -- who ultimately killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School.
"From the benefit of hindsight... it was the wrong decision, period," Texas Department of Public Safety director Steven McCraw told an emotional news conference, at which his voice broke repeatedly as he was assailed by questions over the delay.
"From what we know, we believe there should have been an entry as soon as you can," McCraw said, adding: "If I thought it would help, I'd apologize."
McCraw revealed in harrowing detail that a series of emergency calls were made from inside the two adjourning classrooms where the gunman was barricaded, begging for police help -- as desperate parents outside pleaded with officers to go in.
But in seeking to explain the delay, he also said the on-scene commander believed at the time that the 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos was in there alone, with no survivors, after his initial assault.
"I'm not defending anything, but you go back in the timeline, there was a barrage, hundreds of rounds were pumped in in four minutes, okay, into those two classrooms," McCraw said.
"Any firing afterwards was sporadic and it was at the door. So the belief is that there may not be anybody living anymore."
McCraw separately told reporters, however, that a 911 call received at 12:16 pm -- one of several made from inside the classrooms -- reported eight or nine children still alive.
He did not identify the caller, who he said called at least four times.
As many as 19 officers were outside the classroom door at that time, plus an unknown number of tactical team members who had just arrived, according to McCraw's timeline.
The door was eventually breached at 12:50 pm.
McCraw said a second caller -- a child -- called 911 multiple times begging for police to come. During one of her calls, at 12.21, three shots could be heard, he said.
Her final call was cut off as she made it outside, he said.
- NRA kicks off gun convention -
McCraw's press conference came as the powerful National Rifle Association kicked off a major convention in Houston Friday, but a string of high-profile no-shows underscored deep unease at the timing of the gun lobby event.
Former president Donald Trump was among the scheduled speakers at the three-day annual convention, held around four hours drive from Uvalde.
Thousands of gun enthusiasts descended on the event, filling a vast convention hall packed with booths of gun, walls of semi-automatic rifles and hunting products.
"This is it, this is the mega," said a man in his 60s, as he handled a new Hellion rifle he was considering purchasing.
But with millions of Americans grieving and angry following the Uvalde shooting, "American Pie" singer Don McLean led a wave of country music dropouts from the event, while the Republican state governor, Greg Abbott, said he would no longer appear in person.
McLean said it would be "disrespectful and hurtful" to perform at the "Grand Ole Night of Freedom" concert scheduled during the convention on Saturday. At least five other country music stars, including Lee Greenwood and Larry Gatlin, have also reportedly pulled out.
Facing mounting scrutiny, the gun manufacturer Daniel Defense -- which made the assault rifle purchased by Ramos -- also decided to stay away.
- 'Don't forget them, please' -
The Uvalde shooting was the deadliest since 20 children and six staff were killed at the Sandy Hook school in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012.
Its victims included 10-year-old Amerie Garza -- a little girl who loved her classes, drawing, and playing with clay.
"She was an innocent little girl, loving school and looking forward to summer," her 63-year-old grandmother, Dora Mendoza, told reporters after paying respects at a makeshift memorial outside the school.
Mendoza pleaded for urgent action to prevent future shootings -- as the country plunges again into the deeply divisive debate over guns.
"They need to do something about it. They need to not forget us, the babies... Don't forget them, please," she said through tears.
President Joe Biden will visit Uvalde on Sunday to once again make the case for gun control, as activists set about galvanizing voters on the issue in the run-up to November's midterm election.
J.Oliveira--PC