In wake of Uvalde shooting, schools announce banned backpacks, 'wanding measures,' more police

Schools implement new search processes, police presence monitoring following the Uvalde tragedy

Schools across the country continued to announce new safety protocols Wednesday in the wake of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Monday, where an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two teachers.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott confirmed that a Border Patrol officer killed the teenager, Salvador Ramos, and commended law enforcement for showing "amazing courage by running toward gunfire to try to save lives." 

TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING: LIVE UPDATES

On the Buffalo Public Schools website is an emergency bulletin noting new rules which will be "effective immediately." The city of Buffalo is also grieving from a mass shooting at a Top's grocery store last week where a self-described White supremacist reportedly killed 10 people dead and three injured.

"For the safety of all, the doors at each of our school locations will remain locked during the school day," the Buffalo Schools statement read. "There are camera monitors at the front entrance of each of our school sites. All visitors, parents, and caregivers will need to announce their name and the name of their child in order to be buzzed into a school. Upon entry, visitors may be subjected to wanding and/or a search process for safety measures. The Buffalo Police Department and/or Buffalo Public Schools Security staff will have a presence in and around schools for an undetermined amount of time."

Law enforcement work the scene after a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday, May 25. (Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images)

San Antonio-area school districts have also released new safety protocols, several of which included an increased police presence on campuses. 

"Tomorrow, out of an abundance of caution, we will have a police presence monitoring all of our campuses," the Alamo Heights Independent School District relayed. "Although there are no known threats to any of our schools, this will provide additional support as we complete the final day of school including all the campus activities that are planned. All end of year events will be held as scheduled." 

TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING: WHO ARE THE VICTIMS KILLED AT UVALDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?

Edgewood ISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Eduardo Hernández similarly noted in a statement that additional officers will be assigned to campuses through the end of the school year.  

"I want to reassure the EISD community that student safety in Edgewood ISD is top priority," Hernández said. "As preventive measures taken prior to today's devastating events, the EISD Police Department patrols the 16 square miles of our district all day and night. They will also be present at our campuses with increased frequency and will be highly visible. EISD does not condone any acts of violence." 

Equipment from the San Antonio Fire Department is parked outside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday, May 24.  (William Luther/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)

Paul Heroux, the mayor of Attleboro, Massachusetts, released detailed information about a gunshot detection system following the Texas tragedy.

"We have funded and installed a gunshot detection system at all 9 of our city schools; the new high school will have the 9th system," Heroux tweeted. "We are still setting up a system in the new high school. These gunshot detection systems will immediately notify the police department and anyone else on the notification list when the system is triggered by a gunshot. If we reduce police presence time, we save lives."

The technology, Heroux said, is the same installed in the White House and the Pentagon. 

The Attleboro Police Department is also doing active shooting training, where police simulate what to do and how to respond in the event if there is an active shooter in one of our schools, Heroux added.

The South San Antonio Independent School District announced that no backpacks will be allowed at any campuses for the next two days and that campus accessibility will be limited to parents/guardians with proper identification. 

A state trooper walks past the Robb Elementary School sign in Uvalde, Texas, Tuesday, May 24, 2022, following a deadly shooting at the school. (William Luther/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)

Several other school districts across the country have announced their own safety measures

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