Texas school shooting: Suspect's grandmother upgraded to good condition

Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez called on lawmakers to act on gun control, specifically calling on them to look into an assault weapons ban at the federal level, in an interview on ABC News Live Wednesday.

"We have to make sure that we're creating laws in the state of Texas, as well as at the federal level, so that we can stop access to these types of militarized weapons," Gutierrez said on ABC News Live.

"I know my district -- there's nobody in this district that goes hunting with an AR-15," Gutierrez said, referring to the assault weapon the alleged shooter had purchased two days before the shooting.

Gutierrez called on the U.S. Senate to break the filibuster and pass legislation in order to stop seeing "these types of militarized weapons."

"We have young, confused men, young men violating lives across this country and violating families across this country."

8:17

Sen. Gutierrez talks about the deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas

Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents the district where the shooting took place, shares what action he would like to see from the federal government after the deadly incident.

ABCNews.com

He added, "It is high time that we do something. My heart goes out to the people in my community here in the valley, but we've got to take that to another level and do something now. Because if we can't do something, then what are we? What are we sending people off to Washington for? What are we sending people up to Austin for? We've got to do more."

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer gave a passionate speech on the Senate floor Wednesday, calling gun violence “a plague upon this nation."

"The problem in the Senate is simple too many members on the other side of the aisle are disconnected from the suffering of the American people, too many members on that side care more about the NRA than they do about families who grieve victims of gun violence," Schumer said.

Schumer criticized Republicans for their opposition to gun control legislation.

"Republicans don't pretend that they support sensible gun safety legislation. They don't pretend to be moved by the fact that 90% of Americans, regardless of party, support something as common sense as background checks," Schumer said.

Schumer said he aches for the families of those killed in Texas and urged Republicans to act "for the sake of these children."

"To my Republican colleagues: Imagine if it happened to you. Imagine if this was your kid or your grandkid. How would you feel? Could you ever forgive yourself for not supporting a simple law that would make these mass shootings less likely? Please, please, please dammit. Put yourself in the shoes of these parents for once," Schumer said.

-ABC News' Trish Turner

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will hold a press conference Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. ET to discuss the state's response to the Robb Elementary School shooting.

The governor will be joined by state officials including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Texas state House Speaker Dade Phelan, U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzalez.

Rolando Reyes, 72, the gunman's grandfather, told ABC News he had no idea his grandson had purchased two AR-15-style rifles or that they were in his house.

Since Reyes is a felon, it is illegal for him to live in a house with firearms. Reyes said he would have turned his grandson in.

Reyes said there were no signs the morning of the shooting that anything unusual was going to happen. The suspect had a minor argument with his grandmother over the payment of a phone bill, but nothing significant.

The suspect lived in a front room and slept on a mattress on the floor, according to Reyes. The suspect had been staying with his grandparents after having a falling out with his mother.

Reyes said he took the suspect to work sometimes and that he was very quiet, but he did not seem violent. Reyes also said he tried to encourage his grandson to go to school but the suspect would typically just shrug in response.

Reyes said the suspect did not know how to drive and did not have a driver's license. Reyes also wondered how his grandson would have even gone to purchase the weapons or if he trained on the weapons, saying someone must have taken him there.

The suspect's grandmother, who he shot in the forehead, is undergoing surgery on Wednesday. Reyes said he believes she will survive.

-ABC News' Matt Gutman

2:43

Texas school shooting suspect’s grandfather: ‘It still hasn’t sunk in’

Rolando Reyes spoke to ABC News’ Matt Gutman about his grandson, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos.

ABCNews.com