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(NEW YORK) -- More than 40 years after he shot President Ronald Reagan and three others, John Hinckley Jr. said he's filled with remorse over his actions, but he's ready to move forward with his life.

Hinckley, 67, spoke with "Nightline" co-anchor Juju Chang two weeks after he was released from federal supervision, and apologized to the families of his victims.

"I'm truly sorry. I really am," he told "Nightline." "I'm not sure they can forgive me, and I probably wouldn't even blame them."

While some of those close to Reagan are reluctant to accept Hinckley's olive branch, he said he's committed to proving to the world that he's a changed and better man. And he supports laws that would prohibit others with mental health issues from getting access to guns.

On March 30, 1981, Hinckley, then 25, shot Reagan, police officer Thomas Delahanty, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and press secretary James Brady outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., where Regan had just delivered a speech to the AFL-CIO.

All four men survived. Reagan, however, was hospitalized for 12 days; Brady, who was shot in the head, was left with brain damage and was confined to a wheelchair after the incident; Delahanty developed permanent nerve damage to his left arm. McCarthy was also hospitalized and was the first victim to be discharged.

Brady, who went on to become a staunch gun control advocate as the co-founder of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, died in 2014.

Although the medical examiner ruled the death was a homicide and the cause of death to be a gunshot wound and its health consequences, Hinckley wasn’t charged in Brady's death.

Hinckley was arrested shortly after the shooting and charged with the attempted assassination. He told investigators that he opened fire on the president to impress actress Jodie Foster. He told Nightline that he had no ill will against Reagan and called him " a good, nice man," who he thought "was a good president."

Hinckley told "Nightline" that he was severely depressed, estranged from his family and in full despair when he plotted to shoot the president.

"It was in ways like a suicide attempt just saying, this is it. This is the end of my life," he said.

Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity a year later in a jury trial and ordered to be confined at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, D.C., under psychiatric care. In 2016, he was allowed to leave the hospital into the care of his mother and with heavy restrictions, including a prohibition on him owning a gun or contacting any of his victims, their families or Foster.

In September 2021, a federal judge OK'd Hinckley's unconditional release, which went into effect on June 15.

Although he's barred from speaking with his victims, Hinckley told ABC News that he’s been remorseful for years and felt sad that his actions led to Brady's years of pain. He shared that he prays every night that the Brady family has a good life.

"If I could take it back, I surely would," he said.

Hinckley's complete freedom from oversight is a study in rehabilitation, and comes at the intersection of the ongoing discussions over how the country is addressing mental health issues and the rise in gun violence.

Hinckley said he's in favor of background checks and waiting periods to obtain a gun, especially with regard to people who are suffering, which were policies that were ushered by the Brady law.

"I think there are too many guns in America," he said.

President Reagan publicly forgave Hinckley for the assassination attempt, but at least one member of Reagan's family has not forgiven him.

Patti Davis, Reagan's daughter, published an op-ed in the Washington Post in September, after the judge made the order to release Hinckley, and said she feared that he would contact her.

"I understand struggling for forgiveness, but it's like peering out from between the prison bars. I don't believe that John Hinckley feels remorse. Narcissists rarely do," she wrote.

Danny Spriggs, a Secret Service agent on Reagan's detail when the shooting happened, told ABC News that he also doesn't accept Hinckley's apology.

"I don't think that sufficient accountability has been rendered in this particular case," he said. "I wish him well. The bottom line is those words are easy said [and] now it depends on his actions."

Hinckley contended that he's not the same man he was in 1981. He told "Nightline" that in his 41 years of therapy he has “worked hard to overcome [his] illness,” and is confident he will stay on track. His medical team at St. Elizabeth’s, and the judge who released him, seem to agree.

Hinckley has voluntarily been taking his anti-anxiety medication and an anti-psychotic medication, continues to get therapy, and says he has a sound support system with his siblings.

"I just have a great mindset now that I don't have the depression that I had. I don't have the isolation that I had. And I just really feel good about things now," he said.

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(HIGHLAND PARK, Ill.) -- The 21-year-old suspect in the mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in suburban Chicago that left seven dead and more than 30 wounded is an aspiring rapper with an apparent trail of violent social media posts that investigators are combing through.

Multiple law enforcement officers detained Robert "Bobby" Crimo III at gunpoint following a car chase hours after Monday's massacre in the North Shore town of Highland Park.

Investigators are poring over social media posts on numerous platforms, including Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and Discord, which they believe are associated with Crimo.

Lake County Sheriff's Office officials said at a news conference Tuesday that the investigation alleges that Crimo planned the attack for several weeks and opened fire on paradegoers from the roof of a business he accessed by an affixed ladder. Police alleged that Crimo fired more than 70 shots during the episode.

He was dressed in women's clothing, apparently to blend in with the panicked crowd as he made his getaway, said Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Christopher Covelli.

Covelli said Crimo legally purchased the high-powered AR-15-style rifle he allegedly used in the attack in Illinois. Covelli said a second rifle, also purchased legally, was found in the car Crimo was driving.

He said Crimo also legally bought three other weapons, including two pistols, that investigators seized from his father's home.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office has told its law enforcement partners that Crimo is answering investigators' questions and has made statements taking responsibility for the attack, according to multiple law enforcement sources.

Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart announced Tuesday afternoon that Crimo has been charged with seven counts of first-degree murder. Rinehart said more charges are expected.

Steve Greenberg, an attorney for Crimo's parents, said the family has retained two lawyers, Tom Durkin and Josh Herman, to represent their son. There was no immediate comment from the defense attorneys and Greenberg said it was unclear if the lawyers have yet met with the suspect.

"We are all mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, and this is a terrible tragedy for many families, the victims, the paradegoers, the community, and our own. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to everybody," Crimo's parents said in a statement Greenberg released Tuesday afternoon.

The lawyer added, "The parents request that all respect their privacy as they try to sort thru this tragedy.”

At a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Covelli detailed two prior contacts Crimo had with law enforcement. He said police checked on Crimo after he attempted suicide in April 2019, but no action was taken.

Covelli said police were called to Crimo's home in September 2019 by a family member who claimed Crimo allegedly threatened to kill everyone in his house. He said no charges were filed in the incident, but police seized 16 knives, a dagger and a sword from Crimo and reported the incident to the Illinois State Police.

Sgt. Delilah Garcia of the Illinois State Police said no action was taken against Crimo in the September 2019 incident. She said at the time Crimo was not in possession of any firearms and did not have a firearms owner identification card or a pending application for one to revoke.

The suspect lived with his uncle, Paul Crimo, who told ABC News that he has been interviewed by the FBI. Paul Crimo told ABC News that while his nephew lived with him, they rarely had conversations. He said his nephew mostly focused on his music and stayed in his room and on his phone.

He said his nephew never espoused political views or mentioned weapons or firearms. He said his nephew didn't have a job or many friends.

He said he last spoke to his nephew around 5 p.m. Sunday, but they just said hello while passing each other in the home they shared in the North Shore town of Highwood.

The uncle said his nephew was driving his mother's car when he was taken into custody. He said his nephew's car was still parked in front of his home on Tuesday. The car has a number 47 decal on the driver's side door, matching a tattoo on his face.

A law enforcement source briefed on the case told ABC News Tuesday that investigators have identified posts from several social media platforms alleged to be tied to Crimo that discuss or depict acts of violence -- including shooting people.

The Institute for Strategic Dialogue, which monitors and analyzes extremist content online, said in a briefing statement that it appears Crimo had an extensive online presence and that posts allegedly associated with him included mental health issues, hatred and a gravitation toward far-right and neo-fascist thoughts and ideologies.

One online post allegedly made by Crimo about 10 months ago includes a video that appears to be a portion of the Fourth of July parade route in Highland Park that was accompanied by music with a death theme, according to Strategic Dialogue.

Crimo, according to Strategic Dialogue, appears to have created videos that depicted mass shootings, as well as his own death. One video Crimo is believed to have posted portrays the aftermath of a school shooting and another uses animated figures to depict a mass shooting that mimicked the crime, according to Strategic Dialogue.

The posts believed to be from Crimo also include an online symbol for himself resembling a hate symbol associated with neo-Nazis, according to Strategic Dialogue. Similarly, Crimo’s content features the aesthetics of niche neo-fascist subcultures, the group said.

"He was not just crying out for help, he was screaming out for it,” said John Cohen, an ABC News contributor and the former acting undersecretary for intelligence and counterterrorism coordinator at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Covelli said Crimo was identified through surveillance video and by tracing the gun he allegedly left at the scene. Investigators also have not commented on a possible motive for the mass shooting.

Meanwhile, the wife of the rabbi at Chabad House in Highland Park told ABC News that Crimo came to their Passover service this year. She said Crimo left on his own after his presence raised concerns at the synagogue.

The synagogue now has armed security, given the heightened concerns of violence at religious institutions around the country.

Covelli said at Tuesday's news conference that investigators have not unearthed any evidence suggesting a racial or religious motivation for the rampage.

Crimo was taken into custody more than eight hours after the Highland Park rampage when an all-points bulletin was issued naming him as a person of interest and describing the 2010 silver Honda Fit he borrowed from his mother. A North Chicago police officer spotted the car on U.S. Route 41 and attempted to stop Crimo, who led police on a brief chase before stopping and surrendering, authorities said.

Crimo was apparently raised in Highland Park, where his father, Robert Crimo Jr., owns a delicatessen.

Crimo's father ran for mayor of Highland Park in 2019, but was handily defeated by incumbent Mayor Nancy Rotering, according to election results.

A Highland Park business owner who grew up with the elder Crimo told ABC News that he was "trying his hardest to help his community" but "probably didn't have that much of a chance."

Following Monday's shooting, Rotering spoke of the tragedy during a news conference.

"On a day that we came together to celebrate community and freedom, we are instead mourning the tragic loss of life and struggling with the terror that was brought upon us," Rotering said.

Heavily tattooed, including inked patterns on his face, neck and hands, Crimo was an amateur rapper who went by the stage name Awake the Rapper. One music video posted on YouTube appears to depict the aftermath of a school shooting in which Crimo is filmed alone in a classroom dressed in a helmet and bulletproof vest. A separate video shows Crimo sitting on a bed rapping while a newspaper featuring Lee Harvey Oswald hangs on the wall behind him.

Another video allegedly posted by Crimo shows a cartoon depiction of a person aiming a long gun at other characters with their hands up and on the ground, and a character wearing a shirt with a logo used on Crimo's alleged social media accounts. The video also shows a cartoon character being shot by police.

Law enforcement sources told ABC News that Crimo's music often referenced death and dying.

Spotify, where Crimo had a little over 16,000 monthly listeners, and Apple have removed Crimo's accounts and music.

A YouTube spokesperson said in a statement to ABC News, “Following the horrific incident in Highland Park, our Trust and Safety teams identified and quickly removed violative content, in accordance with our Community Guidelines.”

ABC News' Aaron Katersky and Stephanie Wash contributed to this report.

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(HIGHLAND PARK, Ill.) -- A gunman opened fire on a Fourth of July parade in an affluent suburb north of Chicago on Monday, killing at least seven people and injuring more than three dozen others, including children.

Five of the victims died at the scene of the shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, while one died at a hospital, according to officials. On Tuesday afternoon, a seventh victim succumbed to their injuries at Evanston Hospital, officials said.

The Northshore University Hospital system, which includes Evanston, Glenbrook, Highland Park and Skokie hospitals, treated a total of 39 patients from the scene, according to hospital officials.

Highland Park Hospital admitted 25 people with gunshot wounds, 19 of whom were treated and discharged. The others were in "more serious condition," said Dr. Brigham Temple, medical director of emergency preparedness.

The wounded ranged in age from 8 to 85, according to Temple. One child was taken to Evanston for further treatment and another was medically evacuated to the University of Chicago Hospital, about 30 miles south of Highland Park.

As of Tuesday, eight patients remained hospitalized in the Northshore facilities, officials said.

Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, some 8 miles north of Highland Park, said it received nine patients from the shooting, including six gunshot victims. Five were discharged and the remaining four are in good or fair condition, according to the hospital.

Here's what we know so far about the people who were killed.

Jacki Sundheim

Jacki Sundheim, a dedicated congregant and worker at her synagogue, North Shore Congregation Israel in Glencoe, Illinois, was shot and killed at the Independence Day parade in Highland Park, according to the synagogue.

In a statement, the North Shore Congregation Israel described Sundheim as a "beloved" staff member who spent her early days teaching preschool and her entire life worshipping at the synagogue.

"There are no words sufficient to express the depth of our grief for Jacki's death and sympathy for her family and loved ones," the synagogue said.

Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78

Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza was one of the slain victims from the parade, according to his family.

"My grandpa was a funny man. He'd always joke around and be playful with his grandkids. He arrived [at] the U.S. in the '80s and worked around the Highland Park area for many years. He spent his last days swimming and fishing and being among family," Toledo's grandson, David Toledo, told ABC News in a statement.

Toledo was a native of Morelos, Mexico.

Stephen Straus, 88

Stephen Straus was killed during the shooting, according to his son John Straus.

Katherine Goldstein, 64

Katherine Goldstein lived in Highland Park, according to the Lake County Coroner’s Office.

Irina McCarthy, 35 and Kevin McCarthy, 37

The couple lived in Highland Park and were killed during the shooting, according to the Highland Park City Manager

The two were parents to 2-year-old Aiden McCarthy, who survived the attack. He was reunited with his grandparents, ABC News has learned.

ABC News' Will McDuffie, Caroline Guthrie, Darren Reynolds and Teddy Grant contributed to this report.

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(CHICAGO) -- The 21-year-old suspect in the July Fourth parade mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, was charged Tuesday with seven counts of first-degree murder.

Seven people were killed and at least 38 people were injured when the suspect, Robert "Bobby" Crimo III, allegedly opened fire at marchers and revelers, according to police. Eric Rinehart, the Lake County State Attorney, told reporters he will request a judge to hold the alleged gunman while the investigation continues.

If convicted, the suspect faces up to life in prison without parole.

"I want to emphasize that there will be more charges. We anticipate dozens of more charges centering around each of the victims, psychological victims, [and] physical victims," Rinehart said.

"We will seek the maximum sentence against this offender. Not because we seek vengeance, but because justice and the healing process demand it," the state attorney added

The update in the investigation came after a seventh victim died Tuesday from injuries sustained in Monday's mass shooting.

Authorities believe the massacre had been planned for weeks, and they say more than 70 rounds were fired from the gunman's high-powered rifle, which was similar to an AR-15.

The suspect is accused of opening fire from a roof of a business, which he accessed from a fire escape ladder, police said.

Police said Crimo wore women's clothing during the shooting to apparently allow him to hide his facial tattoos and blend in with the crowd to flee.

"Following the attack, Crimo exited the roof, he dropped his rifle and he blended in with the crowd and he escaped," police said Tuesday. "He walked to his mother's home, who lived in the area, and he blended right in with everybody else."

It appears Crimo bought the rifle legally in Illinois, police said.

Police said they are looking to talk to a witness who is believed to have seen Crimo drop the rifle behind a red blanket immediately after the shooting.

Crimo bought five guns overall, including two rifles, over the last year or so, police said.

No motive is known, police said. When asked by reporters if the gunman targeted anyone specifically, police said the "shooting appears to be completely random."

The suspect -- who was apprehended Monday evening after an hours-long manhunt -- is answering questions from investigators and has made statements taking responsibility for the attack, according to multiple law enforcement sources.

In 2019, a family member reported that Crimo said he was going to "kill everyone" at the home, police said Tuesday. Authorities confiscated knives, a dagger and a sword at the time, police said.

There was no information that he possessed any guns at that time and there was no probable cause for arrest, police said.

Later Tuesday, the Illinois state police released more information regarding the fallout from that incident.

"No one, including family, was willing to move forward on a complaint nor did they subsequently provide information on threats or mental health that would have allowed law enforcement to take additional action. Additionally, no Firearms Restraining Order was filed, nor any order of protection," the state police said.

At the time of the incident the alleged gunman didn't have a Firearms Ownership ID (FOID) card, however two months later he applied for one at the age of 19.

"The subject was under 21 and the application was sponsored by the subject’s father. Therefore, at the time of FOID application review in January of 2020, there was insufficient basis to establish a clear and present danger and deny the FOID application," the state police said.

The alleged gunman is believed to be linked to social media posts that discuss or depict acts of violence, including shooting people, a law enforcement source briefed on the case told ABC News.

Online posts include a video showing what appears to be a portion of the same parade route where the shooting took place.

In a video posted more than a year ago to his YouTube page, the suspect is shown in what appears to be a depiction of the aftermath of a school shooting.

The alleged gunman had been living with his uncle, Paul Crimo, but the two barely interacted beyond exchanging hellos, Paul Crimo told ABC News.

Paul Crimo said he last spoke to his nephew the evening before the shooting and said he was shocked to learn about his alleged involvement.

He described his nephew as quiet and respectful and said the 21-year-old never mentioned firearms.

A representative for Township High School District 113 confirmed to ABC News that the suspect attended Highland Park High School from Aug. 26, 2015 to Aug. 24, 2016, but couldn't provide more details.

Rinehart told reporters there was no application to get a court order to take away the suspect's weapons following his past allegations.

However, he emphasized that the state's "red flag" laws, under which a family member can ask a judge to take a person's firearms away if they think they pose a risk, keep communities safe and pushed for a bigger awareness of those laws.

"We must vastly increase use of the Illinois red flag law," he said.

Rinehart also called for a ban on assault rifles.

"Studies have shown that mass shootings like what happened yesterday went down during those 10 years, we should have that same ban in Illinois, and beyond in the entire country," he said, to applause from the crowd.

The state attorney said the investigation is ongoing and asked anyone with information or footage from the scene to call his office.

The mass shooting broke out when the suburban Chicago parade was about three-quarters of the way through Monday morning, authorities said.

Revelers fled in panic, leaving behind empty strollers, overturned chairs and half-eaten sandwiches.

When the gunfire erupted, parade-goer Zoe Nicole Pawelczak grabbed her dad and started running through the sea of people.

"Everybody is crying. We ended up making it behind a corner and we hid behind a dumpster. This man was there with his two very young children and he had put them in the dumpster for safety," she said.

Pawelczak said the man wanted to leave to find his other son, and asked her to watch the two children in the dumpster.

"So I watched his kids for him," she said. "They were like, 'What's going on?' And I was like, 'It's just fireworks, it's OK,' just trying to keep them calm."

Dr. David Baum was watching his grandson, daughter and son-in-law march in the parade when the gunfire began.

"Bodies were horribly, horribly, horribly injured from, you know, guns and bullets that were made for war -- not for parades," Baum said of some of the victims.

"The paramedics went quickly and assessed the damages -- saw bodies that were blown apart and put a blanket over them quickly. And then went on to try and help other people," he told ABC News. "These are injuries that nobody should have to see."

Crimo was at large for hours after the shooting. After police released an image of Crimo and his car Monday evening, he was spotted driving and led police on a brief pursuit, authorities said.

He was stopped at U.S. Highway 41 and Westleigh Road in Lake Forest, Illinois, where he surrendered, according to police.

A second weapon, also purchased legally by Crimo, was found in the car, police said.

On Tuesday evening, Steve Greenberg, an attorney representing the suspect's parents, released a statement from the couple saying their "hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to everybody."

"We are all mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, and this is a terrible tragedy for many families, the victims, the paradegoers, the community and our own," the statement read.

President Joe Biden said in a statement that he "surged Federal law enforcement to assist in the urgent search for the shooter."

"Members of the community should follow guidance from leadership on the ground, and I will monitor closely as we learn more about those whose lives have been lost and pray for those who are in the hospital with grievous injuries," Biden said.

He noted that he recently signed into law the most significant gun control legislation in decades, adding, "But there is much more work to do, and I'm not going to give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence."

Vice President Kamala Harris gave a passionate speech during the the National Education Association’s annual meeting, in Chicago Tuesday night, condemning the violence at the parade.

"We need to end this horror. We need to stop this violence. And we must protect our communities from the terror of gun violence. You know I've said it before, enough is enough," she said.

She later visited the site of the shooting with Mayor Nancy Rotering, U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, and State Sen. Julie Morrison.

An impassioned Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker said, "It is devastating that a celebration of America was ripped apart by our uniquely American plague. A day dedicated to freedom has put into stark relief the one freedom we as a nation refuse to uphold: the freedom of our fellow citizens to live without the daily fear of gun violence."

"I'm furious that yet more innocent lives were taken by gun violence. I'm furious that their loved ones are forever broken by what took place today. I'm furious that children and their families have been traumatized," he said. "While we celebrate the Fourth of July just once a year, mass shootings have become our weekly -- yes, weekly -- American tradition. There are going to be people who say that today is not the day that now is not the time, to talk about guns. I'm telling you there is no better day and no better time than right here and right now."

"Our founders carried muskets, not assault weapons. And I don't think a single one of them would have said that you have a Constitutional right to an assault weapon with a high-capacity magazine -- or that that is more important than the right of the people who attended this parade today to live," the governor added.

Representatives of the gun reform group March For Our Lives, founded by survivors of the 2018 high school mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, said in a statement, "Just three weeks ago, young people organized a March For Our Lives in Highland Park, along with communities across the country."

"We are grieving for the horrific loss of life in Highland Park, and the carnage brought on by a high-powered rifle," they said. "We wish eternal peace for those who were murdered, and we will fight like hell for the living."

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is among the leaders reacting to the nation's latest mass shooting, tweeting, "Not even a parade on the Fourth of July celebrating our nation's independence is immune from our nation's gun violence epidemic. Tomorrow, I will sign seven sweeping commonsense gun safety bills into law. We cannot wait."

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement that the U.S. must "address the epidemic of targeted gun violence, including the development and implementation of new community-based models of prevention and intervention."

"The Department of Homeland Security will redouble its work in this critical area and help lead the effort to prevent violence," he vowed.

ABC News' Josh Margolin, Pierre Thomas, Aaron Katersky, Alex Perez, Jack Date, Will Steakin, Jeff Cook, Will McDuffie and Caroline Guthrie contributed to this report.

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(VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.) -- Two individuals, a 12-year-old boy and 44-year-old man, died after drowning in the Chesapeake Bay in separate incidents, officials said.

Zamari Wilson, who was visiting Virginia Beach with his family from Washington, D.C., was last seen around 10 a.m. on Sunday about 20 to 30 yards offshore before he went missing, police said.

According to police, Wilson's mother called the police shortly after he went missing, and the police began responding to the scene.

The U.S. Coast Guard responded to the incident alongside the Virginia Beach Police Department, Virginia Beach Fire Department and the Virginia Beach Emergency Medical Services.

Melissa Johnston, public information officer for the VBPD, said that where Wilson went missing is a "resort area" where children often become missing, so the police tend to search both on land and in the water when a child is reported to be missing.

After a “comprehensive search” of the area from which Wilson was last seen, the child was found in the water at 1:28 p.m. and taken to an ambulance.

Later that afternoon, Wilson was pronounced dead.

A spokesperson from the U.S. Coast Guard told ABC News that two 29-foot response boats from Coast Guard Station Little Creek were launched, as well as an aircraft from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City.

The Coast Guard also reported to send an 87-foot patrol boat from Coast Guard Cutter Sailfish.

According to a spokesperson, the Coast Guard helped coordinate the response among local authorities.

Within a mile from where Wilson was found in the bay, officials also found the body of a 44-year-old man near the Lesner Bridge on Sunday afternoon.

The VBPD has not yet released the identity of the victim.

Johnston told ABC News that two calls alerted police to the victim, one from the victim's girlfriend who was swimming with the victim, and one from a nearby individual who saw the victim go under.

The woman had been swimming with the victim on Sunday when he was pulled by a current that eventually took him underwater.

According to Johnston, the victim's girlfriend was able to flag down someone on a jetski, and ride on the jetski with the owner to search for the victim while awaiting a police response.

The Coast Guard was alerted on Sunday afternoon by the VBPD and again assisted with search and rescue. The Coast Guard sent boats and aircraft from their Little Creek and Elizabeth City stations once more, as well as coordinated the response among local authorities involved in the rescue.

The Coast Guard sent boats and aircraft from their Little Creek and Elizabeth City stations once more, as well as coordinated the response among local authorities involved in the rescue.

The Coast Guard told ABC News that the victim’s body was located by underwater divers from the VBFD.

Johnston told ABC News that this kind of event is not common, particularly for the Chesapeake Bay area from which both victims drowned.

"Where it took place, there's not usually big waves or anything crazy out there. We usually have issues on the ocean side," Johnston said.

However, Johnston added that there is still a current in the bay, and you can never be certain what the water is like when you go out. Nonetheless, these were shocking incidents.

"I was trying to remember the last time they had actual drowning [at Virginia Beach], and I couldn't, so to have two in one day, super close to each other is just crazy," Johnston said.

Johnston added that she is not aware of any other water-injury related incidents from either the bay or ocean side beaches over the holiday weekend.

Tom Gill, chief of the Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service, told ABC News affiliate 13NewsNow that lifeguards don't work at the bay beaches off Shore Drive, where both of Sunday’s drowning occurred.

Gill said that people should swim in areas where lifeguards patrol the water and added that the majority of lifeguard rescues happen due to incidents involving a rip current.

According to annual data from the Office of the Medical Examiner, accidental drowning accounts for at least 12 children deaths each year.

Drowning is the second biggest cause of children deaths, following only car accidents, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

Overall, over 900 people died from accidental drownings in Virginia from 2011-2020, data from the Office of the Medical Examiner reports.

A spokesperson for the Coast Guard told ABC News that it’s important for people to understand the strength of the ocean, even from the shore.

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(NEW YORK) -- Kaitlin Armstrong, a fugitive wanted in the murder of professional cyclist Anna Moriah Wilson, has been captured in Costa Rica after a 43-day search, authorities announced Thursday.

Armstrong, 34, was arrested Wednesday at a hostel on Santa Teresa Beach in Provincia de Puntarenas, the U.S. Marshals Service said. She was deported and returned to the U.S., where she was booked on Tuesday in Travis County Jail by the Austin Police Department and charged with felony first-degree murder.

Austin police had issued a warrant on May 17 for the arrest of Armstrong on a first-degree murder charge in the fatal shooting of Wilson, 25, who they determined was romantically linked to Armstrong's boyfriend, professional cyclist Colin Strickland.

Wilson was found bleeding and unconscious with multiple gunshot wounds at a friend's home in Austin on May 11.

A car resembling Armstrong's 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee was captured on surveillance footage from a neighboring residence stopping outside the friend's home the night of the shooting, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

When police interviewed Armstrong on May 12, she was "confronted with video evidence of her vehicle" but "she had no explanation as to why it was in the area and did not make any denials surrounding the statements," the affidavit stated. After further questioning, Armstrong requested to leave, according to the affidavit.

The U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force located Armstrong’s Jeep Grand Cherokee last week. Armstrong sold the vehicle on May 13 to a CarMax dealership in Austin for $12,200 before flying out of an Austin airport on May 14, authorities said. Investigators believe she then boarded a Southwest Airlines flight to Houston Hobby Airport, before connecting on a flight to New York LaGuardia Airport.

Investigators learned Armstrong was provided transportation to Newark Liberty International Airport on May 18 and, using a fraudulent passport, boarded a United Airlines flight that day to San Jose, Costa Rica, according to U.S. Marshals.

The U.S. Marshals had appealed to the public in their search for Armstrong, a realtor and yoga instructor, and had offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to her arrest.

It is unclear if Armstrong has an attorney.

The Marshals Service fugitive case had been elevated the investigation to "major case status" early on, "which likely played a key role in her capture after a 43-day run,” Susan Pamerleau, the U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Texas, said in a statement. "This is an example of combining the resources of local, state, federal and international authorities to apprehend a violent fugitive, bring an end to that run and hopefully a sense of closure to the victim’s family."

Wilson, a rising elite cyclist, was visiting Austin from San Francisco for a gravel bike race. She was found shot hours after meeting up with Strickland, police said. Austin police said at the time that the shooting did not appear to be random and they had a person of interest in the incident.

Strickland told police he hadn't seen Armstrong since May 13, according to the affidavit. He said he has been cooperating fully with detectives in the investigation.

"There is no way to adequately express the regret and torture I feel about my proximity to this horrible crime," Strickland said in a statement to ABC News Austin affiliate KVUE. "I am sorry, and I simply cannot make sense of this unfathomable tragedy."

Wilson's family expressed relief following news of Armstrong's capture.

"We're relieved to know this phase of uncertainty is now behind us, and we trust that justice will prevail," the family said in a statement.

ABC News' Lisa Sivertsen contributed to this report.

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(HIGHLAND PARK, Ill.) -- As Abby Brosio stood with her father-in-law watching the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, on Monday morning, a hail of bullets began to fly from top of the building directly across the street.

"I remember looking around to try to figure out where the sound was coming from," Brosio told "Good Morning America" on Tuesday morning. "And I, in fact, looked up at the neighboring business across the street and saw the shooter on the roof and I just screamed that it was a shooter."

She said she saw "long hair and a gun." As she turned to pull her 1-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son into Gearhead Outfitters, a store managed by her husband, Tony, she was grazed by a bullet, she said.

Her father-in-law was shot in the leg, she said.

Six people were killed and more than 24 others were injured in Monday's mass shooting in Highland Park, a suburb north of Chicago, according to officials. Police said on Monday they took into custody a 22-year-old person of interest, Robert "Bobby" Crimo III, in connection with the incident.

Tony Brosio was inside Gearhead Outfitters as the shooting began. As parade spectators rushed the store, looking to take cover, he helped coordinate. Video from inside the store shows crowds running inside. Some stumble, others glance behind them.

"We were just trying to get as many people as we possibly could inside," he told "GMA" on Tuesday. "Like I said, it was just instinct."

Both the Brosios had the feeling that it "could never happen" to them that they'd be in an active shooting situation, he said.

"You alway have that, 'It could never happen here,'" he said. "It just did."

"It was like a dream. All I could say to myself was, 'This isn't real,'" Abby said.

As Abby and her father-in-law reached the safety of Gearhead Outfitters, she realized that they'd both been hit by bullets, she said. Both were taken to a local hospital and later released, she said.

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(CHICAGO) -- A seventh victim died Tuesday from injuries sustained in Monday's mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, police said.

Authorities believe the massacre had been planned for weeks, and they say more than 70 rounds were fired from the gunman's high-powered rifle, which was similar to an AR-15.

The 21-year-old suspect, Robert "Bobby" Crimo III, is accused of opening fire from a roof of a business, which he accessed from a fire escape ladder, police said.

Police said Crimo wore women’s clothing during the shooting to apparently allow him to hide his facial tattoos and blend in with the crowd to flee.

"Following the attack Crimo exited the roof, he dropped his rifle and he blended in with the crowd and he escaped," police said Tuesday. "He walked to his mother's home who lived in the area and he blended right in with everybody else."

It appears Crimo bought the rifle legally in Illinois, police said.

Police said they are looking to talk to a witness who is believed to have seen Crimo drop the rifle behind a red blanket immediately after the shooting.

He bought five guns overall, including two rifles, over the last year or so, police said.

No motive is known, police said. When asked by reporters if the gunman targeted anyone specifically, police said the "shooting appears to be completely random."

Crimo -- who was apprehended Monday evening after an hours-long manhunt -- is answering questions from investigators and has made statements taking responsibility for the attack, according to multiple law enforcement sources.

In 2019, a family member reported that Crimo said he was going to "kill everyone" at the home, police said Tuesday. Authorities confiscated knives, a dagger and a sword, police said.

There was no information that he possessed any guns at that time and there was no probable cause for arrest, police said.

Crimo is believed to be linked to social media posts that discuss or depict acts of violence, including shooting people, a law enforcement source briefed on the case told ABC News.

Online posts include a video showing what appears to be a portion of the same parade route where the shooting took place.

In a video posted over a year ago to his YouTube page, Crimo is shown in what appears to be a depiction of the aftermath of a school shooting.

Crimo had been living with his uncle, Paul Crimo, but the two barely interacted beyond exchanging hellos, Paul Crimo told ABC News.

Paul Crimo said he last spoke to his nephew the evening before the shooting and said he was shocked to learn about his alleged involvement.

He described his nephew as quiet and respectful and said the 21-year-old never mentioned firearms.

The mass shooting broke out when the suburban Chicago parade was about three-quarters of the way through Monday morning, authorities said.

About 38 people were injured.

Revelers fled in panic, leaving behind empty strollers, overturned chairs and half-eaten sandwiches.

When the gunfire erupted, parade-goer Zoe Nicole Pawelczak grabbed her dad and started running through the sea of people.

"I saw multiple people slaughtered," she told ABC News.

"Everybody is crying. We ended up making it behind a corner and we hid behind a dumpster. This man was there with his two very young children and he had put them in the dumpster for safety," she said.

Pawelczak said the man wanted to leave to find his other son, and asked her to watch the two children in the dumpster.

"So I watched his kids for him," she said. "They were like, 'What's going on?' And I was like, 'It's just fireworks, it's OK,' just trying to keep them calm."

Dr. David Baum was watching his grandson, daughter and son-in-law march in the parade when the gunfire began.

"Bodies were horribly, horribly, horribly injured from, you know, guns and bullets that were made for war -- not for parades," Baum said of some of the victims.

"The paramedics went quickly and assessed the damages -- saw bodies that were blown apart and put a blanket over them quickly. And then went on to try and help other people," he told ABC News. “These are injuries that nobody should have to see."

Crimo was at large for hours after the shooting. After police released an image of Crimo and his car Monday evening, he was spotted driving and led police on a brief pursuit, authorities said.

He was stopped at U.S. Highway 41 and Westleigh Road in Lake Forest, Illinois, where he surrendered, according to police.

A second weapon, also purchased legally by Crimo, was found in the car, police said.

President Joe Biden said in a statement that he "surged Federal law enforcement to assist in the urgent search for the shooter."

"Members of the community should follow guidance from leadership on the ground, and I will monitor closely as we learn more about those whose lives have been lost and pray for those who are in the hospital with grievous injuries," Biden said.

He noted that he recently signed into law the most significant gun control legislation in decades, adding, "But there is much more work to do, and I'm not going to give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence."

Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement, "On what should be a celebratory day with family and friends, we are grieving the lives that were taken in another act of senseless gun violence."

"More should be done to address gun violence in our country," she said. "President Biden recently signed into law the first major bipartisan gun reform legislation in almost 30 years -- and we will continue fighting to end this senseless violence."

An impassioned Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said, "It is devastating that a celebration of America was ripped apart by our uniquely American plague. A day dedicated to freedom has put into stark relief the one freedom we as a nation refuse to uphold: the freedom of our fellow citizens to live without the daily fear of gun violence."

"I'm furious that yet more innocent lives were taken by gun violence. I'm furious that their loved ones are forever broken by what took place today. I'm furious that children and their families have been traumatized," he said. "While we celebrate the Fourth of July just once a year, mass shootings have become our weekly -- yes, weekly -- American tradition. There are going to be people who say that today is not the day that now is not the time, to talk about guns. I’m telling you there is no better day and no better time than right here and right now.”

"Our founders carried muskets, not assault weapons. And I don’t think a single one of them would have said that you have a Constitutional right to an assault weapon with a high-capacity magazine -- or that that is more important than the right of the people who attended this parade today to live," the governor said.

Representatives of the gun reform group March For Our Lives, founded by survivors of the 2018 high school mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, said in a statement, "Just three weeks ago, young people organized a March For Our Lives in Highland Park, along with communities across the country."

"We are grieving for the horrific loss of life in Highland Park, and the carnage brought on by a high-powered rifle," they said. "We wish eternal peace for those who were murdered, and we will fight like hell for the living."

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is among the leaders reacting to the nation's latest mass shooting, tweeting, "Not even a parade on the Fourth of July celebrating our nation’s independence is immune from our nation’s gun violence epidemic. Tomorrow, I will sign seven sweeping commonsense gun safety bills into law. We cannot wait."

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement that the U.S. must "address the epidemic of targeted gun violence, including the development and implementation of new community-based models of prevention and intervention."

"The Department of Homeland Security will redouble its work in this critical area and help lead the effort to prevent violence," he vowed.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News' Josh Margolin, Pierre Thomas, Aaron Katersky, Alex Perez, Jack Date, Will Steakin, Jeff Cook, Will McDuffie and Caroline Guthrie contributed to this report.

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(PHILADELPHIA) -- Two police officers were shot during a Fourth of July fireworks show and concert on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia on Monday. Both officers were treated and released from the hospital later that night, according to police.

Sergio Diggs, 36, an officer assigned to highway patrol, received a graze wound to the forehead, police said. The round stopped in the officer's hat. He is a 13-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department.

The other officer, John Foster, who was assigned to the Montgomery County Bomb Squad, sustained a gunshot wound to the right shoulder. The 44-year-old, who has 16 years of service, was present to work security at the event, as was the other injured officer.

The officers were standing on the sidewalk at the base of the Art Museum steps when the shooting began.

They both were transferred to the Jefferson University Hospital for treatment, according to WPVI, and police said they have been released.

The shooting took place in Center City on Monday night. The city Office of Emergency Management advised on Twitter to avoid the area.

This marks at least the second incident of gun violence around an Independence Day celebration in the United States, after at least six were killed in a shooting at a parade in Highland Park, Illinois.

A suspect in the Philadelphia shooting has not yet been named or arrested. Police said they are still investigating the shooting. A $20,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the armed suspect, according to WPVI.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said at a late-night press conference that it had been "a laid-back, chill day" -- "but we live in America."

"If I had the ability to take care of guns," he said, "I would."

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(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) -- A Florida law banning abortions after 15 weeks is back in place Tuesday, after a state court judge had ruled the law violated the state's constitution. The state then filed an appeal of the judge's decision, which automatically suspended the judge's decision under Florida law.

The Center for Reproductive Rights, American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Florida, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and the law firm Jenner & Block, which filed the lawsuit on behalf of Florida abortion providers, said they plan to file a motion to reinstate the temporary hold on Florida's 15-week abortion ban and they will continue to work to permanently ban the law.

"The law, which has been in effect since July 1, has already had devastating consequences on the health and futures of Floridians by forcing them to continue carrying pregnancies against their will," the Center for Reproductive Rights said in a press release.

Judge John Cooper had granted a temporary hold on the abortion ban, saying that the Florida state constitution grants explicit protections for the right to privacy, that do not exist in the U.S. Constitution, and that the Florida Supreme Court has established that this grants protections for a woman's right to get an abortion.

Florida's 15-week ban grants exceptions for abortions if the pregnancy poses a risk to the mother's life and if the fetus has a fatal anomaly, but does not grant exceptions for rape or incest.

Cooper had signed the temporary hold Tuesday morning, which had allowed abortions in the state up to 24 weeks.

The ruling comes as states scramble to create their own abortion laws after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a landmark case which had established a federal protection for the right to an abortion.

At least 12 states have ceased nearly all abortion services. The Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research and policy institute, lists Florida as one of 26 states expected to ban abortions after Roe was overturned.

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(BOSTON) -- Boston officials are responding to the growing threat of white supremacists, just days after Patriot Front members marched through the city and reportedly assaulted a Black man.

"We know these threats are continuing to escalate across the country, and that Boston must be the leading light in how we are acting in a coordinated way and tackling and supporting our community members," said Mayor Michelle Wu Tuesday. She joined officials from the local and state police departments, the FBI and the attorney general's office to discuss impending actions of known extremist groups.

The Anti-Defamation League, which tracks hate groups nationwide, has called Patriot Front a white supremacist group that spreads racism, antisemitism, and other forms of hate online. The ADL says the group is focused on "preserving America's identity as a European-American one."

The group marched in Boston on Saturday with concealed faces and flags, wearing shirts that read "Reclaim America."

U.S. District Attorney Rachael Rollins said officials "are working hard to make sure that if there are any federal charges we can bring or if there are any state charges that can be brought -- we will be looking at this. We don't want to wait until there's violence. If there are threats we will charge those as well."

They will not yet release the information shared at the briefing to the public. Joseph R. Bonavolonta, the Special Agent in Charge, told reporters at the presser that the government cannot track or monitor domestic groups based on their ideology, but can take action based on the threat or execution of violence.

Officials said they plan to question officers' actions during the march, asking themselves "if this was a Black Lives Matter protest, would the response have been different than this white supremacist group?"

Black community leaders in Boston marked the Fourth of July by denouncing racism and showing support for a man who says he was assaulted by Patriot Front members.

Police say a Black man reported that he was assaulted during the march, after the man said he was trying to record the group on his cellphone. In the police report sent to ABC News by Boston Police Department officials, the man said Patriot Front members with shields began to surround and shove him after he started to record.

When he tried to shove back in order to free himself, he was knocked to the ground, kicked and beaten, the police report said.

The man suffered lacerations to his head, arms and hands, and was treated at a nearby hospital, according to the report. No arrests have been made.

The man later identified himself as Charles Murrell, an artist and social justice organizer. He spoke Monday at a gathering of Black leaders and urged listeners to attend local events about race, diversity and justice.

"There are ambassadors, artists, and people who care about the city and the image of this city, that have been doing the work, and we are inviting you to come share space with us," Murrell said.

Mawakana Onifade, a friend and mentor of Murrell, said, "We will always stand in the face of the new Klan, there's no mistake about this. When one covers one's face, we know what is behind that."

Local Black leaders called Patriot Front the "children of the KKK."

"We're not surprised. Boston has had a long legacy of racism," said Reverend Kevin Peterson. "In fact, the city was founded on racism. Slaves were imported here. And that legacy continues into 2022."

Leaders are calling on Wu to act quickly against the spread of hateful and dangerous ideologies.

"We can't look at this as the new age. This is the old age that needs to be dismantled," said Onifade. "Mayor Wu, what are you going to really do besides the words that we have been reading about. What is the call to action? Where is the accountability?"

Wu has condemned the march, tweeting that the "disgusting hate of white supremacists has no place here."

In a statement, Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn warned about growing white supremacist sentiment in the region.

"It is wholly repugnant to once again read reports and see videos on social media about dozens of Neo Nazis making another brazen public display with their hateful ideology," Flynn wrote. "They have continued to make their presence known, most recently in March at the St. Patrick's Day parade," when Patriot Front members reportedly held up a "Keep Boston Irish" banner.

Wu said the investigation into the latest incident is ongoing and is being spearheaded by the city's Civil Rights Unit. Because Patriot Front members had their face covered, officials at the Tuesday press conference say it adds a layer of difficulty to cracking the case. However, law enforcement officials say they are still looking for the culprits, even if they came to the city from out of state.

"We're looking into their identities and there already has been some information shared in various parts about the national leaders of this group who were part of this effort, who were in town, were present at the recent events as this group has gone to terrorize other communities as well," Wu said in a Monday news conference on the incident.

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(NEW YORK) -- Three people were killed and 21 were wounded in shootings in New York City. Authorities reported 14 separate shootings from Monday into Tuesday morning.

In one incident on Monday, three men were shot, two fatally, inside the Spring Creek Food Mart in Brooklyn just after 11:35 p.m. A 23-year-old man was shot in the neck and a 21-year-old was shot in the head, both of whom were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the New York Police Department.

The third man, 18, is in critical condition at Brookdale University Hospital. A suspect was taken into custody at the scene and police found three guns at the bodega, according to police.

John Edwards, 62, was fatally shot in the Bronx in a separate incident. He suffered a gunshot wound to the chest, police said. Edwards was transported to Saint Barnabas Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to police.

The second victim, a 23-year-old male with a gunshot wound to the right leg, was also transported to Saint Barnabas Hospital and is in stable condition. A third victim, a 26-year-old male with a gunshot wound to the right arm, is listed in stable condition. There have been no arrests and an investigation is ongoing.

Edwards was not the target of the shooting, according to police.

There have been 213 homicides in the city so far this year, down 10.12% from 237 homicides last year, according to the NYPD.

The shootings come as a gunman opened fire at a parade in Highland Park, Illinois, killing six people and seriously injuring 24 others. Another July 4 shooting in Wisconsin left one person dead and four injured.

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(KENOSHA, Wis.) -- One person has died and four people have been seriously injured in a Fourth of July shooting at a residence in Kenosha, Wisconsin, police said.

The incident occurred at approximately 10:20 p.m. at a home in the 6300 block of 25th Avenue when authorities responded to reports of a shooting at the house and encountered a “chaotic scene with obvious evidence of multiple gunshots being fired,” according to a statement released by the City of Kenosha Police Department.

“There were five victims from this shooting, all adults,” authorities continued. “One of the victims is deceased. The other four victims were transported to local hospitals with two being transferred to Milwaukee area hospitals due to serious injuries.”

As of now, the Kenosha Police Department say there is no known motive, no suspects in custody and that the investigation into the shooting is “open and active.”

Police are asking for cooperation with the public and are urging anyone with information to contact the Kenosha Police Detective Bureau at (262) 605-5203 or the Kenosha Area Crime Stoppers at (262) 656-7333.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(CHICAGO) -- Authorities are combing through social media posts they believe are associated with the 22-year-old person of interest in Monday's mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois.

Six people were killed and about 24 others were seriously hurt in the suburban Chicago shooting, which police described as a "random act of violence."

It appears the gunman fired from a roof where a high-powered rifle was recovered, police said.

Person of interest Robert "Bobby" Crimo III -- who was apprehended Monday evening after an hours-long manhunt -- is believed to be linked to social media posts that discuss or depict acts of violence, including shooting people, a law enforcement source briefed on the case told ABC News.

Analysts say Crimo appears to have had an extensive online presence that was littered with signs of hatred, mental health issues and a gravitation toward hard-right and neo-fascist ideologies.

The mass shooting broke out when Highland Park's parade was about three-quarters of the way through Monday morning, authorities said. Revelers fled in panic, leaving behind empty strollers, overturned chairs and half-eaten sandwiches.

Police ran toward the shots but the gunman had already fled, Lake County Sheriff Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said at a news conference.

When the gunfire erupted, parade-goer Zoe Nicole Pawelczak grabbed her dad and started running through the sea of people.

"I saw multiple people slaughtered," she told ABC News.

"Everybody is crying. We ended up making it behind a corner and we hid behind a dumpster. This man was there with his two very young children and he had put them in the dumpster for safety," she said.

Pawelczak said the man wanted to leave to find his other son, and asked her to watch the two children in the dumpster.

"So I watched his kids for him," she said. "They were like, 'What's going on?' And I was like, 'It's just fireworks, it's OK,' just trying to keep them calm."

Dr. David Baum was watching his grandson, daughter and son-in-law march in the parade when the gunfire began.

"Bodies were horribly, horribly, horribly injured from, you know, guns and bullets that were made for war -- not for parades," Baum said of some of the victims.

"The paramedics went quickly and assessed the damages -- saw bodies that were blown apart and put a blanket over them quickly. And then went on to try and help other people," he told ABC News. “These are injuries that nobody should have to see."

Five people -- all adults -- died at the scene and a sixth victim died at a hospital, said Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek.

The NorthShore University Health System said it received a total of 31 patients; most suffered gunshot wounds and a few were hurt in the chaos. At least one child was critically injured, Highland Park Fire Chief Joe Schrage said.

Crimo was at large for hours after the shooting. After police released an image of Crimo and his car Monday evening, he was spotted driving and led police on a brief pursuit, authorities said.

He was stopped at U.S. Highway 41 and Westleigh Road in Lake Forest, Illinois, where he surrendered, according to police.

The neighboring suburb of Evanston canceled its own Fourth of July parade in the wake of the shooting, Evanston police said.

President Joe Biden said in a statement that he "surged Federal law enforcement to assist in the urgent search for the shooter."

"Members of the community should follow guidance from leadership on the ground, and I will monitor closely as we learn more about those whose lives have been lost and pray for those who are in the hospital with grievous injuries," Biden said.

He noted that he recently signed into law the most significant gun control legislation in decades, adding, "But there is much more work to do, and I'm not going to give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence."

Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement, "On what should be a celebratory day with family and friends, we are grieving the lives that were taken in another act of senseless gun violence."

"More should be done to address gun violence in our country," she said. "President Biden recently signed into law the first major bipartisan gun reform legislation in almost 30 years -- and we will continue fighting to end this senseless violence."

In an impassioned statement Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said, "There are no words for the kind of monster who lives in wait and fires into a crowd of families with children celebrating a holiday with their community. There are no words for the kind of evil that robs our neighbors of their hopes, their dreams, their futures."

"Prayers alone will not put a stop to the terror of rampant gun violence in our country," the governor wrote. "We must -- and we will -- end this plague of gun violence."

Representatives of the gun reform group March For Our Lives, founded by survivors of the 2018 high school mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, said in a statement, "Just three weeks ago, young people organized a March For Our Lives in Highland Park, along with communities across the country."

"We are grieving for the horrific loss of life in Highland Park, and the carnage brought on by a high-powered rifle," they said. "We wish eternal peace for those who were murdered, and we will fight like hell for the living."

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is among the leaders reacting to the nation's latest mass shooting, tweeting, "Not even a parade on the Fourth of July celebrating our nation’s independence is immune from our nation’s gun violence epidemic. Tomorrow, I will sign seven sweeping commonsense gun safety bills into law. We cannot wait."

Law enforcement has long been concerned about gunmen firing from elevated positions, which police say can give them a strategic advantage.

The deadliest example of that is the 2017 Las Vegas massacre, during which the shooter took up a window position in the Mandalay Bay hotel. Fifty-nine people were killed in what became the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

In the wake of the Vegas massacre, law enforcement around the country placed a greater emphasis on securing elevated locations surrounding public events, but police have acknowledged how daunting a task it is to secure all such positions.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News' Josh Margolin, Pierre Thomas, Alex Perez, Jack Date, Will McDuffie and Caroline Guthrie contributed to this report.

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(HUNTSVILLE, Ala.) -- A Texas man who has spent more than five months in a Russian detention center is facing a different challenge from other recent American detainees such as Trevor Reed and Brittney Griner, as authorities in Moscow are accusing him of wrongdoing in his home country.

David Barnes, a Huntsville, Alabama, native who has lived in the Houston area in recent years, was taken into custody by law enforcement in Moscow in January and has been incarcerated on Russian soil ever since.

"If I could go over there and just sit in that place with him, I would do it in a minute, because this is the most unjust situation I've ever experienced in my entire life," Carol Barnes, David's older sister, told ABC News. "I feel like part of me is missing."

David Barnes was in Russia attempting to gain legal clearance to either see his children or bring them home, after his Russian ex-wife allegedly violated a court custody order and fled the United States with them, his family says.

On Jan. 13, Russian investigators apprehended Barnes in Moscow, accusing him of abusing his two children years earlier in Texas, according to translations of court documents. Similar allegations against Barnes were brought to authorities in Texas by his now-ex-wife Svetlana Koptyaeva during their long and acrimonious divorce proceedings. The allegations were investigated in 2018 by the Department of Family and Protective Services, which found insufficient evidence to support them and closed the case without any findings of abuse or any charges against Barnes.

Barnes' ex-wife is herself now wanted in the U.S. on a felony charge of interference with child custody, after she fled with the children in 2019.

"His mission was to save his children," Carol Barnes said. "His mission all along has not been really revenge against her at all."

With her brother locked up abroad in a country that is currently fighting a war in Ukraine that has lead to a diplomatic dispute with the United States, Carol Barnes says she worries about his future.

"I've never been so sad and so hurt," she said. "All I think about is the conditions that he's living in."

Making 'examples out of U.S. citizens'

For much of his time in Russia, David Barnes has been in Moscow's Detention Center 5, according to his family. He is not the only American -- or even the only Texan -- who has been held there in recent years.

Trevor Reed, a former Marine from Texas, was arrested by Russian authorities in 2019 and sentenced to nine years in prison. After being accused of assaulting two police officers in Moscow, Reed spent part of his time behind bars in Detention Center 5.

After Reed's case gained widespread publicity in the U.S., he was released by Russian authorities in April in exchange for a Russian man who was being held in Connecticut on a federal drug trafficking conviction.

In an interview with ABC News, Reed described his pretrial Russian detention facility as rat-infested and "extremely dirty."

"It took Trevor Reed three years to get out and his alleged crime was much less severe than what David is being accused of," Carol Barnes said. "We're talking about Russia. They're going to make examples out of U.S. citizens."

Another Texan, Brittney Griner, is still being held by Russian law enforcement in the Moscow area. The WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist was arrested at an airport after Russian authorities alleged that she had vape cartridges with hashish oil in her luggage, but the U.S. government says Griner is being "wrongfully detained."

Barnes had been living in Texas since 2007, working initially as a design engineer for an Alabama-based software company's Houston office.

Houston is where he met Svetlana Koptyaeva, who was also living there for work. The two would go on to marry and have two sons, at least one of whom has dual Russian and American citizenship.

"I saw a difference in him when he had those two children," Carol Barnes said. "His boys were his only focus in this life."

Svetlana Barnes filed a petition for divorce in 2014, and over the next five years, a lengthy and ugly custody battle ensued between the two parents, resulting in a jury trial and numerous court hearings in Texas.

"It was horrible," David Barnes' younger sister Margaret Aaron said. "She tried everything she could to take the children from him and to get sole control, and he fought her tooth and nail."

Of Barnes' two children, Carol Barnes said, "He wanted them -- even though their parents were divorcing -- to have two parents. He thought that children should be raised by two parents' influence."

Paul Carter, a lifelong friend of David Barnes who is also divorced with two sons, said the struggle between Barnes and his ex-wife became "a cascading series of events" stemming from "her desire to not have David in any part of their lives."

"My boys are everything," Carter said. "Watching my sons grow up has been a wonderful experience. I've wanted so much for David to have that."

'Completely and totally devastated'

In early 2019, as part of a custody arrangement, Svetlana Barnes was expected to bring the children to an agreed-upon meeting point so David Barnes could have the boys for a few days.

However, she never showed with the children. According to law enforcement records, David Barnes called the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office multiple times to ask for welfare checks on the two boys.

"She was a flight risk and somehow was able to flee with the passports," Carter said. "I think that's a real travesty. It's a real breakdown of the system."

By April 6, 2019, the FBI was able to track Svetlana Barnes to Turkey, according to a criminal complaint.

"He was completely and totally devastated," Aaron said. "He had gotten their room ready at his apartment and bought them toys, and he was just so happy that they were going to come back to him, and then they were gone. He was crushed."

In August 2020, a judge in Montgomery County signed an order designating David Barnes as the sole managing conservator of his children, which gave him rights to decide the primary home for his children, make decisions regarding their education, represent them in legal actions, and possess their passports.

Yet despite the order, the two boys were nowhere to be found in the U.S. and Barnes was unable to reestablish contact with them.

His family said he had a gut feeling about where the children had ended up.

"He was pretty certain what had happened, that [Svetlana] had taken them back to Russia," Aaron said. "He knew that she would probably do this if she had the opportunity."

Svetlana Barnes was eventually traced to her homeland, with court-appointed receiver Robert Berleth writing in a November 2020 report, "It is understood by the Receiver the Defendant has fled to Russia and has no intention of returning" to her home in Texas.

Carol Barnes said that after locating and hiring an attorney in Moscow, her brother decided to fly there in December 2021 to see if he could secure at least partial custody or limited rights to visitation with his children in Russian court.

"Society doesn't consider fathers to be as important as mothers," Carol Barnes said. "They don't take into consideration that maybe there are fathers out there that are willing to fight for their children."

Not long after David Barnes arrived in Moscow and rented a room near where Svetlana Barnes was believed to be living, the former spouses ran into each other, according to Carol Barnes, who alleges that the ex-wife then contacted Russian authorities to make the same past child abuse allegations that Texas authorities could not substantiate.

David Barnes was soon arrested by law enforcement in Moscow.

"After reviewing the decision to initiate a criminal case against me, I think that this is absurd," court records say that David Barnes told Russian investigators during an interrogation. "I did not take the actions set forth in the decision to initiate a criminal case against me."

"I'm sure he was panicked," Aaron said. "You feel so helpless."

'It was all made up to destroy him'

David Barnes' detention in Russia has come as news to prosecutors in the Lone Star State.

"We were not aware that Mr. Barnes was being held in a Russian detention center," Montgomery County District Attorney's Office Trial Bureau Chief Kelly Blackburn told ABC News when informed of Barnes' incarceration. "At this time, there are no accusations out of Montgomery County that we are aware of that would allow Mr. Barnes to be held in custody."

Nor have any child abuse charges been made against David Barnes in neighboring Harris County, which covers the part of Houston also referenced in Russian court documents, according to the district attorney's office there.

A 2014 petition for divorce that was filed on Svetlana Barnes' behalf said that "Petitioner believes that Respondent [David Barnes] has a history or pattern of sexual abuse directed against" one of the children, but did not go into detail.

"There was not a lot of information in 2014," Carol Barnes said. "All I remember from talking to David was she started accusing him of some kind of abuse, but there was nothing definitive really said."

In 2017, a settlement agreement between David and Svetlana Barnes noted in part that Svetlana Barnes was "to refrain from making statements, either written or oral, to any third party, alleging that … [David Barnes] … molested his minor child and/or engaged in improper sexual contact with his minor child" -- though she did not waive any legal reporting duties.

An incident report from a constable's office in Montgomery County said that law enforcement interviewed Svetlana Barnes and the children in 2018 regarding sexual assault concerns that she reported. A search warrant was subsequently executed on David Barnes' apartment in The Woodlands, but no charges were ever filed.

"I know my brother. I know that he loved his children and he would never do those things that she has accused him of," Aaron said. "It was all made up to destroy him and to get the children away from him."

While David Barnes is not currently facing criminal charges in Texas, the same cannot be said for Svetlana Barnes, who was indicted in 2019 for interference with child custody, a felony.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office alleged that despite a judgment allowing David Barnes to have partial custody of the two children, Svetlana Barnes "failed to comply with any condition for travel outside of the United States with the children," and left the country with the boys on a Turkish Airlines flight from Houston to Istanbul on March 26, 2019.

"Svetlana Barnes still has yet to be arrested on the charge of interference with child custody, and the warrant for her arrest is still active," Blackburn said.

Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, considers March 26, 2019, to be the date on which the children disappeared. The organization, which published yellow global police notices containing pictures of the boys, still considers them missing.

In an attempt to reach Svetlana Barnes for comment, ABC News sent an email to an address previously associated with her, but received an unsigned response from the email account that stated in part, "as her attorney I won't recommend her talking to you."

'I want to see his release'

The news that David Barnes is being detained in Russia has prompted calls for his release from many of those closest to him, including his employer.

"We continue to hope for his well-being and safe return home as soon as possible," Philip Ivy, vice president of Houston-based engineering firm KBR, said.

David Barnes' arrest was covered by state media outlets in Russia, but has not previously made headlines in the U.S.

In the months since he was taken into custody, Barnes has been visited by representatives of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, according to emails between his family and the State Department. A trial date has not yet been scheduled and his future remains uncertain.

"We are aware of reports of the arrest of a U.S. citizen in Moscow," a U.S. State Department spokesperson told ABC News. "We take seriously our responsibility to assist U.S. citizens abroad, and are monitoring the situation. We stand ready to provide all appropriate consular services in cases where U.S. citizens are detained abroad."

Back in Huntsville, his family and friends are hoping that he will be able to rejoin them soon.

"I want to see his release," said his sister Margaret Aaron. "He is being held there as guilty until they can prove him innocent, but there's nothing to hold him there, there's no evidence of anything, [and] he did not do anything. We would like some action taken for his freedom."

"President Biden, if you could help David in any way, God bless you," said his friend Paul Carter. "We want him back."

ABC News' Patrick Linehan contributed to this report.

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(AKRON, Ohio) -- Ohio police officials released officer body-camera footage of a 25-year-old Black man killed in a hail of bullets fired by eight officers while he was unarmed and running away.

As Jayland Walker's family has demanded answers about the circumstances of last week's killing, which authorities said occurred following a police chase, large protests have erupted in Akron, Ohio, with demonstrators marching on the city's police headquarters.

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan and Police Chief Steve Mylett, during a news conference Sunday afternoon, joined the Walker family in calling for peaceful protests and for patience as the investigation continues in the man's death.

"When an officer makes the most critical decision in his or her life as a police officer, it doesn't matter where in the country this happens, when they make that most critical decision to point their firearm at another human being and pull the trigger, they've got to be ready to explain why they did what they did," Mylett said Sunday. "They need to be able to articulate what specific threats they were facing, and that goes for every round that goes down the barrel of their gun."

Mylett began the news conference by expressing his "deepest sympathies to Jayland's family" and apologized for their loss.

"I cannot imagine the sense of loss, the pain they are going through right now," Mylett said. "I want to personally thank you for the way in which you have been dealing with this situation. You have asked for peace in an environment that is rife for aggression and violence. If Jayland reflects the character of this family, which I continually heard that he did, you raised a good son."

Before the body-camera footage was shown, Horrigan said he was “beyond outraged” at the situation, and told reporters that “the video you are about to watch is heartbreaking."

Akron police officials said the fatal incident unfolded about 12:30 a.m. on June 27 in Akron's North Hill neighborhood when officers attempted to pull over Walker for a traffic violation and an equipment violation with his car. Police said the driver allegedly refused to stop, setting off a chase that ended in his death.

Police officials played footage from two police body-camera videos, the first showing police pursuing Walker's silver Buick onto Route 8 in Akron.

The video showed the Buick taking an onramp and a flash of light that Mylett said appeared to be the muzzle flash of a gun coming from the driver's side of Walker's car. Police officials also released freeze frames of the flash coming from the vehicle's window.

A second body-camera video recorded officers radioing that they heard at least one shot being fired from Walker's car. The video also shows the officer following the Buick off Route 8 and continuing the pursuit on side streets.

At one point, Walker slowed down and jumped out of the vehicle before it came to a full stop. The footage showed a man, who police said was Walker, exiting the car's passenger side door wearing a ski mask.

Multiple officers are seen in the footage running after Walker, who appeared to look over his shoulder as officers fired their weapons at him.

Mylett said he has watched the video at least 40 times and said there are still photos showing Walker appear to reach for his waistband, turn toward the officers and move an arm forward.

Mylett said Walker's face and body were blurred out in the video shown to the public at the request of the Walker family.

The chief said he is reserving further comment on the video and judgment on the incident until the Ohio Bureau of Investigation completes its probe.

In an earlier statement, Akron police officials said, the "actions by the suspect caused the officers to perceive he posed a deadly threat to them. In response to this threat, officers discharged their firearms, striking the suspect."

Despite the shooting occurring seven days ago, Mylett said none of the officers have been interviewed by investigators. The chief said the police union president has assured him that all of the officers involved in the shooting will fully cooperate.

The officers involved in the shooting are on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of the investigation being led by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Following the news conference, Bobby DiCello, an attorney for Walker's family, said the key fact of the case, which Mylett confirmed, is that Walker was unarmed when he was killed.

Mylett said while the video confirmed that Walker was unarmed when he was shot, he said the footage also captured a handgun with a separate loaded magazine and what appears to be a gold wedding band left on the driver's seat of Walker's car.

The body-camera videos were released in accordance with a city law passed last year requiring police body-camera footage be made public seven days after an officer's use of force resulted in death or great bodily injury.

DiCello said the videos show Walker did not pose a threat to the officers when they fired more than 60 shots.

"You can see his hands as he is running on the video," DiCello told ABC News' Good Morning America after watching the video before it was made public.

He said the first two Akron police officers to engage Walker, deployed their stun guns. Mylett confirm that officers deployed Tasers, but they had no effect.

"Why do eight men shoot him, mostly from behind, as he's running away?" DiCello told GMA of the troubling list of questions he has over the shooting.

DiCello said he saw no evidence in the video he reviewed of Walker posing a threat to the officers.

"Just sprinting away from these men, he is shot as he starts to turn and look over his shoulder," DiCello said.

Walker's aunt, LaJuana Dawkins, told GMA, "We'd like to know why he was shot down like a dog."

DiCello said Sunday that Walker was saddened over the recent death of his girlfriend, but relatives told him they did not notice anything about his behavior that would have led them to believe he would allegedly lead police on a chase or shoot at officers.

DiCello accused Mylett of playing "armchair quarterback" during Sunday's news conference without knowledge of all the facts.

"I'm disappointed. They want to turn him into a masked monster with a gun," DiCello said. "He wasn't a criminal, he was obviously in pain. He didn't deserve to die."

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost attempted to assure the public on Sunday that the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation "will conduct a complete, fair and expert investigation."

"People want and deserve answers, and they shall have them," Yost said in a statement. “Body-worn camera footage is just one view of the whole picture -- before drawing conclusions, the full review must take place."

He said the investigative file will be made public at the conclusion of the case and people will be able to review it online.

"The goal is the truth, and we need to talk to anyone who knows anything," Yost said. "Silence will never produce justice."

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(BATTLECREEK, Mich.) -- One person is dead after an accident during the "pyrotechnic portion" of an air show in Michigan, police said.

The incident occurred Saturday shortly after 1 p.m. at the Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival, held at Battle Creek Executive Airport.

Chris Darnell, 40, died while driving a race truck dubbed the Shockwave Jet Truck during the air show, police said in an update Saturday evening. The accident is under investigation.

Dramatic video by attendees of the air show captured the truck racing two aircraft on the runway before the accident occurred. A small fire behind the truck can be seen as the vehicle slides past a large fireball and crashes.

"Oh boy, we've got an incident here with our Shockwave out here at Air Show Center," the announcer can be heard saying following the accident.

The Battle Creek Fire Department, Battle Creek Police Department and Federal Aviation Administration responded to the scene, police said.

Police have not released any further information amid the investigation.

The remainder of Saturday's air show was canceled "out of respect for the incident that has occurred," Battle Creek Field of Flight said in a statement. Saturday evening's activities were scheduled to resume at the festival, which runs through Monday.

Shockwave, a custom-built race truck, is owned by Darnell Racing Enterprises, based in Springfield, Missouri. ABC News has reached out to the company for comment.

The truck, which was equipped with three flame-shooting jet engines, was capable of racing at over 350 mph, according to its owners. It frequently appeared at air show and drag racing exhibitions across the country.

Darnell was involved in motorsports "his entire life," according to a bio on Darnell Racing's website, and worked with his father in the business.

In a Facebook post Sunday, Neal Darnell described his son as a "family man" who leaves behind a wife and two daughters.

"We have lost our youngest son Chris in an accident doing what he loved; performing with Shockwave," Neal Darnell wrote. "Chris so loved life and his huge air show and drag racing family."

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(HALTOM CITY, Texas) -- Two people were shot and killed and four others injured, including three police officers, Saturday night in Haltom City, Texas, police said.

Sgt. Rick Alexander of Haltom City police said during a briefing that the three officers did not suffer any life-threatening injuries, as one officer was hit in the right arm, finger and leg, a second male officer was hit in both legs and a third officer was hit in the upper thigh.

At a press conference on Sunday, Alexander identified the three injured cops as Cpl. Zach Tabler, and officers Tim Barton and Jose Avila.

An elderly female had called 911 and police arrived at the residence, where officers returned fire during the incident, Alexander said. The elderly female sustained non-life-threatening injuries. A woman was found dead in the home and a man was found dead outside, Alexander said.

Officers said the elderly female's call was crucial because they entered a situation where the gunman ambushed them.

"If they wouldn't have been prepared, this situation could have turned out a lot worse," Haltom City Police Chief Cody Phillips said. "There could have been several officers deceased over not being able to respond correctly."

Alexander identified the suspected gunman as 28-year-old Edward Freyman. Police said they returned fire, forcing the suspect to flee. He was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

Freyman had a military style rifle and a handgun near him, according to the Haltom City Police Department.

The relationship between the victims and the shooter is not yet known, but officers confirmed that the three people -- the two deceased and the suspected shooter -- knew each another.

"The main concern is getting the scene secure, trying to get to our officers, be able to get them out of harm's way while also trying to keep containment on the suspect," Alexander said, WFAA reported.

The Texas Rangers are taking over the investigation.

ABC News' Izzy Alvarez and Teddy Grant contributed to this report.

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(HOUSTON) -- A 5-year-old child was killed in a drive-by shooting on Sunday that also injured an 8-year-old in a Houston neighborhood, Houston Police said.

Police received several phone calls around 1 a.m., saying there was a shooting in the city's Greenspoint area, but when they arrived, they didn't find anything, Asst. Chief Chandra Hatcher told reporters early Sunday.

About 15 minutes later, officers got word that two children arrived at an area hospital with gunshot wounds. The 8-year-old child is expected to fully recover from their injuries, Hatcher said.

Both children were reportedly in a car at a stop sign when a person in another vehicle began shooting, witnesses told authorities. Their mother reportedly drove them to the hospital.

Police are investigating the incident and looking at footage from surveillance cameras to aid in the investigation. A suspect is not in custody, police said.

Authorities are unsure if the two children were the intended targets.

"We do not know a motive," Hatcher said.

Police described the suspect's vehicle as dark-colored and added that there may have been two people in it.

"If anyone knows information, please come forward and please continue to pray for the family of the deceased child and the injured 8-year-old," Hatcher said.

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(UVALDE, Texas) -- Pete Arredondo, the embattled police chief of the school district where 19 children and two teachers were killed in a shooting, is resigning from his city council post, city officials said.

A local newspaper in Uvalde, Texas, first reported Arredondo's decision to resign, which city officials later confirmed.

Arredondo, the police chief for the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, served as incident commander during the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 24. He has faced criticism and calls for his resignation as chief from parents and the Uvalde community over the police response and delay in breaching the classrooms where the gunman carried out the attack.

Arredondo was elected to the Uvalde City Council in early May and was sworn in days after the school shooting. He told the Uvalde Leader-News on Friday he plans to resign from his city council post, according to the local newspaper.

Following the report's publication, the city of Uvalde said it had not seen a letter of resignation or spoken to Arredondo. The Uvalde city manager’s office told ABC News Saturday afternoon that the city council had just received his written resignation. The city called his resignation "the right thing to do."

In his resignation letter obtained by ABC News, Arredondo said that "it is in the best interest of the community to step down as a member of the City Council for District 3 to minimize further distractions."

"The Mayor, the City Council, and the City Staff must continue to move forward to unite our community, once again," he continued.

Arredondo and his representatives have not responded to ABC News' requests for comment.

About a dozen people, including some of the victims' relatives, came out in the afternoon heat Sunday to call on Arredondo to resign as school police chief and for District Attorney Christina Mitchell Busbee to step down.

Uziyah Garcia's mother, Mandy Renfro, was at the street corner of the makeshift memorial in the town center holding a poster that said, "Bravery called... it wants its badges back."

Uziyah’s uncle, Brett Cross, held a sign that said "families deserve the truth."

The protest followed a council meeting Thursday when families confronted the mayor and the Uvalde City Council, asking for answers about the investigation.

The news of Arredondo's resignation comes after the Uvalde City Council last week denied Arredondo's request for a leave of absence from future meetings, in an effort to be more transparent following criticisms of law enforcement's handling of the shooting.

Arredondo has not been present at three meetings since he was sworn in, including a heated hearing on Thursday during which families of victims demanded more information on what happened that tragic day.

The school district placed Arredondo on administrative leave last week, effective immediately, amid multiple ongoing investigations into the shooting.

Arredondo defended the police response in a rare interview with The Texas Tribune last month.

"Not a single responding officer ever hesitated, even for a moment, to put themselves at risk to save the children," Arredondo told the paper. "We responded to the information that we had and had to adjust to whatever we faced."

He added, "Our objective was to save as many lives as we could, and the extraction of the students from the classrooms by all that were involved saved over 500 of our Uvalde students and teachers before we gained access to the shooter and eliminated the threat."

He also told the paper he did not consider himself the commanding officer on the scene that day.

During an emotional school board meeting last week, parents and community members called for Arredondo's resignation. Several argued that law enforcement should be held partly accountable for the tragedy due to what was described as inadequate decision-making.

Nineteen law enforcement officers waited 77 minutes in the hallway outside the classroom containing the gunman, after Arredondo wrongly believed that the situation had transitioned from an active shooter to a barricaded subject, law enforcement has said.

Arredondo testified last week for almost five hours during a hearing on the shooting held during an executive session by the Texas state House of Representatives. A special Texas state Senate panel is also currently conducting a probe into the shooting.

The Uvalde district attorney is also investigating the shooting, and the U.S. Justice Department is reviewing the law enforcement response.

ABC News' Julia Jacobo, Teddy Grant, Samira Said, Aaron Katersky and Melissa Gaffney contributed to this report.

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