Increased Police Presence At Sarasota Schools After TX School Shooting

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — Following a mass shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead at a Texas elementary school Tuesday, Sarasota County Schools plans to increase police presence at all campuses during the last three days of the school year.

An 18-year-old gunman wearing a tactical vest and carrying a long rifle barricaded himself in a classroom at the Uvalde, Texas, school and opened fire. All 21 people killed were in that single classroom. The shooter, Salvador Ramos, was also eventually shot dead by law enforcement.

Sarasota County Schools addressed “the heartbreaking tragedy in the small Texas town of Uvalde” in an email to families and staff Tuesday evening.

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“We join in their grief over the senseless violence that has forever changed the fabric of that community; it is truly beyond comprehension,” the district wrote. “As we all attempt to process (these) events, please be assured that the safety and wellbeing of our school communities and worksites is top priority for Sarasota County Schools.”

The district’s safety and security team and Sarasota County Schools Police Department are working with local law enforcement agencies to beef up security at all public schools in the county this week. Counselors and other resources will also be available to students.