Grief Over Texas Primary School Shooting, Pope Francis Calls For Gun Control

JAKARTA - Pope Francis mourned the shooting at an elementary school in Texas, the United States that killed at least 19 students and two teachers, calling for greater gun control.

The people gathered in St. Peter, the Vatican for his weekly general audience, praised what the Pope said the day after the worst school shooting tragedy in the US for a decade.

"I am heartbroken by the massacre at an elementary school in Texas. I pray for the children and adults who were killed and for their families", Pope Francis said.

"It is time to say 'enough' for the indiscriminate arms trade. Let us all commit so that tragedies like this do not happen again", Pope Francis said.

As previously reported, at least 19 children and two teachers were killed in a shooting tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, a city about 80 miles (130 km) west of San Antonio. The suspect, identified as Salvador Ramos (18) was shot dead by officers. The motive was not immediately clear.

"He shot and killed horribly, inexplicably, 14 students and killed a teacher. Ramos, the shooter, himself is dead and it is believed that the officers who responded killed him", Governor Greg Abbott told a news conference.

Separated, speaking from the White House hours later, visibly shaken US President Joe Biden urged Americans to stand up to the politically powerful US gun lobby, which he accused of blocking the passage of tougher gun safety laws.

President Biden ordered the flag to be flown at half-mast every day until sunset on Saturday to commemorate the tragedy.