It is one of the worst school shootings in American history the end total, 28 are dead 20 of them little children, at a school in Newtown, Connecticut.
Hundreds of visibly shaken townspeople gathered at a catholic church to pray for the families directly affected by the shooting.
The crowd was so large people had to stand outside during the service.. some holding hands and praying as a group.
The community of about two thousand people are left to grieve the loss of life after 20 children and six adults succumbed to a shooter at their local elementary school.
20-year-old Adam Lanza is the suspect in the shooting; he was found dead in one of the classrooms.
Lanza's mother is a kindergarten teacher at that same school.
Police say another person was found dead at a second crime scene.
The terrible news didn't only shock the little town of Newtown, Connecticut but the whole nation.
While families in Connecticut are grieving, families in Laredo grieve as well,realizing an event like this could happen anywhere.
Families learning of the mass shooting at an elementary school today sending shock waves of concern for their own.
A parents said, "everyday as soon as their out of my sight the thought always comes through my mind are you gonna see your child that afternoon its very depressing to see other parents go through this hardship."
Exterior doors of the school in Connecticut were locked and the associated press reports that the gunman had ties to the school, but some parents still have mixed feelings about security in their own school.
Another parent said, " I don't have no problem the school my daughter goes to is very secure they ask for I'd they check the adults that go there, I think we're pretty good on that.”
"It does cross my mind sometimes theres a lot of crazy people out there with this end of the world, people are doing a lot of crazy things and I have 5 daughters I just pray for them to be safe and for god to bring them home safely."
The events of today putting a little reality in everyone's lives.
"I have a lot of little ones and i have the same age group and I feel for the parents I cant stress how much it just hurts they may not be my children but the pain is there."