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Texas Rangers given authority to seize, download contents of Uvalde shooting suspect's cellphone

Investigators are hoping data from the alleged gunman's cellphone may ultimately contain clues shedding light on the shooter’s motive for the massacre.

UVALDE, Texas — The first search warrant has been returned in the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.

The Texas Rangers seized a black iPhone 13 Pro-Max found next to the body of alleged teenage gunman Salvador Ramos.

Uvalde County District Court judge Camille DuBose granted authority for investigators to perform a forensic download of the device.

According to the search warrant, the Texas Rangers sought all data on the phone, including digital images, text messages, address books, photos, video, voice messages and any GPS or remote tracking system information. The data may ultimately contain clues shedding light on the shooter’s motive for the massacre.

The affidavit in support of the warrant describes how two male witnesses observed Ramos outside Robb Elementary loading a long rifle with a magazine and then began firing in their direction. The suspected teenage gunman then began firing at the school building before going inside, according to the search warrant.

RELATED: Timeline: DPS director gives updated timeline in mass shooting at Uvalde, Texas school

After law enforcement arrive and ultimately made their way in, they observed multiple casualties in the hallways and classrooms before exchanging gunfire with Ramos and shooting him dead.

RELATED: Who was the gunman in the deadly Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde?

The paperwork submitted for the judge’s approval contained a glaring mistake —the affidavit named a completely different suspect than Ramos, in a human smuggling case not connected to the school shooting.

KHOU 11 requested a comment from the Texas Department of Public Safety about the error, but DPS has yet to respond.

Below is a copy of the search warrant. KHOU 11 has decided to redact the names listed in the warrant.

Jeremy Rogalski on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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