The mother of the 18-year-old who killed at least 19 children and two adults in a Texas elementary school said her son was a loner, but she was surprised by the tragedy because he “wasn’t a violent person.”
Adriana Reyes, the mother of Salvador Ramos — who was shot dead by police — told DailyMail.com she did not have a toxic relationship with her son, who’d gone to live with his grandparents.
The mother spoke to the outlet from the bedside of her mother, Celia Gonzalez, who was shot by Ramos before he went to the school.
She said Ramos “kept to himself and didn’t have many friends.”
“My son wasn’t a violent person. I’m surprised by what he did,” she said. “I pray for those families. I’m praying for all of those innocent children, yes I am. They had no part in this.”
At the same time, Ms. Reyes said her son could be aggressive when angry.
“I had an uneasy feeling sometimes, like ‘What are you up to?’” Ms. Reyes told ABC News in an interview at her home. “He can be aggressive … if he really got mad.”
Police say Ramos barricaded himself in a classroom at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde and opened fire before an elite squad of Border Patrol agents was able to storm in.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the elementary school where the shooting occurred.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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