Lisa Wilkinson expresses fury in wake of Texas school shooting

The Project’s Lisa Wilkinson has furiously responded to the Texas school massacre by sharing three disturbing facts about America’s gun crisis.

Lisa Wilkinson has unleashed her fury at the US government following the Texas school massacre that killed 19 students and two teachers.

The Project host on Wednesday shared her frustration at the country’s lax gun laws with a selection of statistics shared to Twitter.

“Last year Texas lowered the age to carry a handgun to 18,” she wrote.

“There are 120 guns to every 100 people in the US.

“The pandemic saw more guns sold (nearly 40M) than at any time in US history. Gun deaths rocketed.”

In highlighting America’s approach to dealing with gun violence, she referenced a comment made by Texas senator Ted Cruz in the wake of the tragedy.

“Senator Ted Cruz’s response? To ‘lift’ those dead Texan children up in prayer,” she wrote.

Wilkinson also attached a four minute clip of a speech delivered by Connecticut senator Chris Murphy in which he “begged” his colleagues to “find a way to pass laws that make this less likely”.

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The Project’s Lisa Wilkinson has furiously responded to the Texas school massacre, which killed 19 students and two teachers. Picture: Twitter

At least 19 children and two adults were killed in the horrific mass school shooting.

The suspected shooter Salvador Ramos, 18, crashed his vehicle before opening fire inside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday morning local time.

The Project co-host Peter Helliar echoed Lisa’s thoughts during a passionate address at the beginning of Wednesday’s show.

“I’m sick of Americans saying they’re the greatest country in the world. You cannot be the greatest country in the world when you place so little value on your children,” he said.

“Like this is not a bad year for America. This is not a one-off. This happens year after year. We expect so much from America. They expect so little from themselves.

“I mean, this will go on. This will happen again. So, there are parents in America sending their kids to school not with confidence that this won’t happen, but they’re hoping this won’t happen to them.”

The Project co-host Lisa Wilkinson has lashed US gun laws. Source: Twitter.

In the US, some states (including Texas) have no minimum age for the ownership of a long gun (like a rifle), while federal law prohibits children under the age of 18 from owning a handgun.

In Texas, there are no other laws surrounding the possession of a firearm, regardless of age.

US President Joe Biden has made a push for stricter gun laws in the fatal shooting’s aftermath.

The US flag at the White House has been flown at half-staff in tribute to the victims.

A girl is comforted by two adults outside the Willie de Leon Civic Center where grief counselling will be offered in Uvalde, Texas. Picture: Allison Dinner/AFP

“Beautiful innocent, second, third, fourth graders and how many scores of little children who witnessed what happened, see their friends die, as if they’re in a battlefield, for God’s sake?” Mr Biden said in an address to the nation.

“The idea that an 18-year-old kid can walk into a gun store and buy two assault weapons is mad.

“I am sick and tired. We have to act.”

Returning from his meeting with Quad leaders from Toyko, he asked Americans to consider why mass shootings “rarely happen anywhere else in the world,” but do in the US.

New details on shooting

Texas State Senator Roland Gutierrez told CNN that Ramos shot his grandma before heading to the school, the US Sun reports.

Sources told local news affiliate KPRC 2 Investigates that the shooting stemmed from an argument.

Police say Ramos then drove his vehicle toward the school and crashed in a ditch before he went on his rampage.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that Ramos was killed by responding officers. His motive remains unknown.

Ramos bought two weapons used in the attack on his 18th birthday.

Sources told KPRC 2 that Ramos purchased two AR platform rifles on May 17 and May 20.

One was left in Ramos’ crashed car. The other, a Daniel Defense, was recovered from inside the elementary school, the outlet reported.

He also bought 375 rounds of 5.56 ammunition on May 18. Seven 30-round magazines were discovered inside the school, according to records.

Ramos was initially said to have worn body armor during the attack.

Local media later indicated that he had a plate carrier with no ballistic armor inside when he exchanged gunfire with several officers at the school.

With additional reporting from Israel Salas-Rodriguez, The US Sun