Pain and anguish of Robb Elementary School shooting in pictures

An 18-year-old gunman opened fire in a Texas elementary school, killing at least 19 children and two teachers as he moved from classroom to classroom before being killed by authorities.

The attack at Robb Elementary School in the small town of Uvalde was the bloodiest school shooting in the United States since a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in December 2012.

Families were still expecting word about their children hours after the attack.

Outside the city hall, where relatives were instructed to wait for news regarding their loved ones, the silence was repeatedly shattered by shouts and wails. "No! Please, no!" shouted one man as he clutched another.

"My heart is broken today," said Hal Harrell, school system superintendent. "Because we are a small community, we will need your prayers to get through this."

It was the worst school shooting in the US since Adam Lanza killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in late 2012. [Allison dinner/AFP]

A 69-year-old air-conditioning repairman, Adolfo Cruz, was still waiting outside the school at dusk for word about Eliajha Cruz Torres, his 10-year-old great-granddaughter.

After receiving a frightening call from his daughter shortly after the initial reports of the shooting, he drove to the scene. He reported that additional relatives were at the hospital and the city hall.

He stated that waiting was the most challenging moment of his life.

Cruz stated, "I hope she's alive."

The attack occurred just ten days after a murderous, racist rampage at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, which added to a succession of mass killings at churches, schools, and stores for several years.

The school has nearly 600 students in second, third and fourth grades. The vast majority of the students are Latino. [Marco Bello/Reuters]

In a dynamic address to the nation hours after the school shooting in Texas, Vice President Joe Biden called for stricter gun controls.

"As a nation, we must ask, when in the name of God will we confront the gun lobby? When in the name of God are we going to do the necessary things?" Biden asked. Why are we willing to accept this level of destruction?

Officials did not immediately reveal a motive, but they identified the gunman as Salvador Ramos, a resident of the community. Law enforcement officials said he acted alone. [Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images/AFP]

Many of the wounded were rushed to Uvalde Memorial Hospital, where staff members and relatives of the victims could be seen weeping as they walked out of the complex. [Dario Lopez-Mills/AP Photo]

The attack came as Robb Elementary School was counting down to the last days of the school year with a series of themed days. Tuesday was to be 'Footloose and Fancy,' with students wearing nice outfits and shoes. [Allison dinner/AFP]