Texas school shooting: 4 things to know about Uvalde

UVALDE, Texas — On Tuesday, May 24, the deadliest school shooting in Texas history occurred in the peaceful town of Uvalde, located 85 miles west of San Antonio.

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Here are four things to know about Uvalde:

1. It’s located in Texas Hill Country

The town is considered the southernmost point of Texas Hill Country, a geographic region based on its terrain and vegetation.

Uvalde is positioned at the crossroads of two major U.S. highways, U.S. Highway 90 and U.S. Highway 83. U.S. 90 stretches 1,633 miles from west Texas to the Florida coast, and U.S. 83 stretches 1,885 miles from Mexico to Canada.

2. It has a small-town feel

According to NPR, Uvalde is growing because of its small-town vibe and scenic beauty.

Friday night football is also considered a centerpiece of the community.

“Uvalde is one of those typical Texas towns that largely revolves around Friday night football. There’s a lot of civic pride for your Friday night football games,” area reporter Brian Kirkpatrick told NPR.

Uvalde is a small community of just over 15,000 residents, of which nearly 80% identify as Hispanic or Latino.

3. Uvalde has some notable residents

Matthew McConaughey was born in Uvalde in 1969. He moved to Longview, Texas, in 1980, according to Texas Monthly.

Actress, singer and songwriter, Dale Evans was born in Uvalde in 1912. She married Roy Rogers in 1947 and the couple starred in the 50s era television series “The Roy Rogers Show.”

4. The town is close to the border

The city is home to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection station. The station’s area of responsibility is approximately 3,000 square miles of South Texas. It also operates traffic checkpoints and train freight operations in the area, according to its website.

The U.S.-Mexico border is roughly 70 miles away.

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