Olivia Rodrigo Pauses Concert To Address Texas Mass Shooting

Olivia Rodrigo took a moment Tuesday (May 24) during her concert in Los Angeles to address the elementary school mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 children and two teachers.

“I’m so devastated about the shooting that happened in Texas today,” the singer-songwriter told the crowd at the Greek Theatre in Griffith Park. “We should never have to worry about our safety or our lives in places that are dedicated to our learning and growing. And I’m so heartbroken that this is the reality that we’re living in. And we need stricter gun control laws in America now.”

Per the New York Times, this massacre marks the deadliest elementary school shooting since a gunman killed 20 first-grade students, four teachers, a principal and a school psychologist at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in December of 2012.

At least 19 children and two adults died in an elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday, May 24. Per the New York Times, this marks the deadliest elementary school shooting since a gunman opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December of 2012.

Celebrities offered words on their social media platforms to the families affected by the tragedy and called out government officials on change. See what they had to say below:

"Today in my home state of Texas, 18 innocent students were killed while simply trying to get an education. A teacher killed just doing her job; an invaluable yet sadly underappreciated job. If children aren't safe in school, where are they safe? It's so frustrating and I'm not sure what to say anymore. Those in power need to stop giving lip service and actually change the laws to prevent these shootings in the future."

"Filled with rage and grief, and so broken by the murders in Uvalde. By Buffalo, Laguna Woods and so many others. By the ways in which we, as a nation, have become conditioned to unfathomable and unbearable heartbreak. Steve’s words ring so true and cut so deep."

"Schools should be a place where our kids go to learn, to make friends, to laugh, to grow, to discover themselves. A safe place where they can envision their futures. Not a place where their futures are taken away from them. How have we gotten to a point where it is acceptable for our children to be murdered in their schools? They deserve a safe place. They deserve protection. They deserve a FUTURE! I cannot begin to imagine what these parents are going through. What those children and teachers went through. Imagine how terrified they must have been. It breaks my heart. I plead to lawmakers to take accountability. We need a plan to protect our babies."

"As a mother, this is the tragically unimaginable. School should be a SAFE place. My heart breaks for the pain and suffering of every family member and loved one connected to today’s events in Texas. My prayers are with you."

"I cannot comprehend today's tragedy in our country. 14 children dead. How is this happening? My heart is breaking. I pray, I hope, I beg, I plead… please, law makers, government officials, leaders of our country, do something to protect our children. It was 'enough' ten mass shootings ago. It was 'enough' after Sandy Hook. What good is protecting our freedoms when there is no protection of our lives?"

"This is devastating. This is a heartbreaking moment for every one of us who has to live in this country. This must stop each of us in our tracks. Each of us must do all we can to help our leaders who are in support of gun reform."

"Across the country, parents are putting their children to bed, reading stories, singing lullabies—and in the back of their minds, they’re worried about what might happen tomorrow after they drop their kids off at school, or take them to a grocery store or any other public space."

"when will this end??????? when will it stop???
how do we just keep letting this happen??
18 babies gone!"

"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Just last week a targeted mass shooting at a market in Buffalo and now a school shooting in Uvalde. Communities should be safe in their grocery stores, our CHILDREN should be safe in class! This has to end.

Thoughts and prayers aren’t enough. We need change."

"Anyone saying 'now isn’t the time to talk about gun control' doesn’t care that kids got f---ing murdered today."