Meghan Markle visits Uvalde to pay respects to victims of Texas school shooting

Photos taken on Thursday, May 26, show Markle, who now lives in California with Prince Harry following their royal exit, dressed in street clothes kneeling at a makeshift memorial outside the Uvalde courthouse. Other pictures show Markle reflecting at each of the crosses, bearing the victims’ names, lining a pond. 

TEXAS, UVALDE, USA – MAY 26: Britain’s Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle pays respect at a makeshift memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. Flowers are placed on a makeshift memorial in front of Robb Elementary School after mass school shooting which 21 people killed in Uvalde, Texas on Wednesday. (Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Uvalde, a tiny town between San Antonio and the border, has become the focus of the world in the aftermath of the horrific mass shooting. It’s the second deadliest school shooting in the U.S., after Sandy Hook. 

TEXAS, UVALDE, USA – MAY 26: Britain’s Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle places flowers as she mourns at a makeshift memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. Flowers are placed on a makeshift memorial in front of Robb Elementary School after mass school shooting which 21 people killed in Uvalde, Texas on Wednesday. (Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

As the lost are remembered for their childhood innocence and bravery, people are weighing in on gun control debates and mourning the deaths. Names like Steve Kerr, Ime Udoka, and more have commented on shooting. 

Britain’s Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, places flowers as she mourns at a makeshift memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. – Grief at the massacre of 19 children at the elementary school in Texas spilled into confrontation on May 25, as angry questions mounted over gun control — and whether this latest tragedy could have been prevented. The tight-knit Latino community of Uvalde on May 24 became the site of the worst school shooting in a decade, committed by a disturbed 18-year-old armed with a legally bought assault rifle. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images

Markle’s visit to Uvalde happens on the same day that authorities called a press conference to address scrutiny on police response time to the elementary school as deadly shots rang out. The press conference took place outside the site of the shooting.

Victor Escalon, DPS regional director, explained the shooter wrecked his car at 11:28 a.m. and then walked into the school unobstructed at 11:40 a.m. He entered the school and walked about 400 feet before reaching the classroom where he opened fire, killing 19 students and two teachers.

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Britain’s Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, places flowers as she mourns at a makeshift memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. – Grief at the massacre of 19 children at the elementary school in Texas spilled into confrontation on May 25, as angry questions mounted over gun control — and whether this latest tragedy could have been prevented. The tight-knit Latino community of Uvalde on May 24 became the site of the worst school shooting in a decade, committed by a disturbed 18-year-old armed with a legally bought assault rifle. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

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Britain’s Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, places flowers as she mourns at a makeshift memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. – Grief at the massacre of 19 children at the elementary school in Texas spilled into confrontation on May 25, as angry questions mounted over gun control — and whether this latest tragedy could have been prevented. The tight-knit Latino community of Uvalde on May 24 became the site of the worst school shooting in a decade, committed by a disturbed 18-year-old armed with a legally bought assault rifle. (Photo by Chandan KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

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Britain’s Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, places flowers as she mourns at a makeshift memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. – Grief at the massacre of 19 children at the elementary school in Texas spilled into confrontation on May 25, as angry questions mounted over gun control — and whether this latest tragedy could have been prevented. The tight-knit Latino community of Uvalde on May 24 became the site of the worst school shooting in a decade, committed by a disturbed 18-year-old armed with a legally bought assault rifle. (Photo by Chandan KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

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Britain’s Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, places flowers as she mourns at a makeshift memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. – Grief at the massacre of 19 children at the elementary school in Texas spilled into confrontation on May 25, as angry questions mounted over gun control — and whether this latest tragedy could have been prevented. The tight-knit Latino community of Uvalde on May 24 became the site of the worst school shooting in a decade, committed by a disturbed 18-year-old armed with a legally bought assault rifle. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

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TEXAS, UVALDE, USA – MAY 26: Britain’s Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle pays respect at a makeshift memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. Flowers are placed on a makeshift memorial in front of Robb Elementary School after mass school shooting which 21 people killed in Uvalde, Texas on Wednesday. (Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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Britain’s Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, places flowers as she mourns at a makeshift memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. – Grief at the massacre of 19 children at the elementary school in Texas spilled into confrontation on May 25, as angry questions mounted over gun control — and whether this latest tragedy could have been prevented. The tight-knit Latino community of Uvalde on May 24 became the site of the worst school shooting in a decade, committed by a disturbed 18-year-old armed with a legally bought assault rifle. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

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Britain’s Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, places flowers as she mourns at a makeshift memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. – Grief at the massacre of 19 children at the elementary school in Texas spilled into confrontation on May 25, as angry questions mounted over gun control — and whether this latest tragedy could have been prevented. The tight-knit Latino community of Uvalde on May 24 became the site of the worst school shooting in a decade, committed by a disturbed 18-year-old armed with a legally bought assault rifle. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

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Britain’s Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, places flowers as she mourns at a makeshift memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. – Grief at the massacre of 19 children at the elementary school in Texas spilled into confrontation on May 25, as angry questions mounted over gun control — and whether this latest tragedy could have been prevented. The tight-knit Latino community of Uvalde on May 24 became the site of the worst school shooting in a decade, committed by a disturbed 18-year-old armed with a legally bought assault rifle. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

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Escalon said more updates will become available in the coming days.