AR-15–style rifle

A recording has resurfaced showing Texas Attorney General and U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton characterizing the 2022 Uvalde school shooting as part of "God's plan" in remarks made in the aftermath of the massacre. The Robb Elementary School attack left 19 children and two teachers dead, with 17 others wounded, after a gunman opened fire with an AR-15-style rifle.

In the recording, Paxton says, "There's always a plan. I believe God always has a plan and life is short, no matter what, it is." Critics have seized on the comments as evidence of callousness toward gun violence victims, contrasting his remarks with the emotional public reaction to the tragedy at the time. Paxton is currently running for the U.S. Senate seat in Texas, and the resurfaced audio adds a new flashpoint to his campaign as opponents highlight his record and public statements on guns and children's safety.