Tampa Prayer Vigil Honors Texas Shooting Victims

TAMPA, FL — The Tampa community is remembering the 21 innocent lives lost in the Texas school shooting with a prayer vigil on Thursday.

A gunman stormed into an elementary school Tuesday in Uvalde, TX, killing 19 children and two teachers in the United States' deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade.

"Our hearts are broken for the young lives tragically stolen during yesterday's [Tuesday] senseless shooting in Uvalde, Texas," the city posted to its official Facebook page after the shooting.

In Tampa, flags will remain at half-staff through Saturday to honor the victims and their families, city officials said.

"As both a mother and chief of police, words cannot express the heartache we all feel as a result of the senseless shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. I am praying for all the families whose lives have been shattered and for the well-being of those investigating," Tampa Police Chief Mary O'Connor said following the shooting.

"Police officers continually train for the worst kind of scenarios, hoping we never have to put that training to test - but prepared if we do. Tampa police officers will continue to work closely with our Hillsborough County partners so parents and children know that we are there to protect them," she continued.

SEE ALSO:

• Texas School Shooting: What We Know About Uvalde Victims
• Texas School Shooting: Gunman Killed 19 Kids, 2 Teachers In Same Class

On Thursday at 4:30 p.m., the Tampa Police Department hosted a prayer vigil at Lykes Gaslight Park at 241 E. Madison St. to remember the victims in Uvalde as well as all of those lost to gun violence.

On Tuesday, authorities said an 18-year-old gunman barricaded himself inside a single classroom at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, TX and "began shooting anyone that was in his way," ultimately killing 19 children and two teachers.

Investigators did not immediately disclose a motive but identified the assailant as Salvador Ramos, a resident of the community about 85 miles west of San Antonio.

Ramos had hinted on social media that an attack could be coming, suggesting that "kids should watch out," according to state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who said he had been briefed by state police.

The teen legally brought two AR-style rifles just days before the attack, soon after his 18th birthday, the Associated Press reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.