Stephen Colbert Stops Mid-Monologue While Discussing “Unspeakable” Texas School Shooting

Stephen Colbert became emotional on Tuesday’s (May 24) episode of The Late Show as he began his monologue with the tragic news of the Texas elementary school shooting. Colbert told his audience he learned about the shooting — which left 19 children and two adults dead — before arriving at work that evening.

“Shortly before I came out here tonight, we learned of the unspeakable shooting in Uvalde, Texas, today. And while we can add our prayers for the dead” — Colbert began, but he had to stop himself mid-sentence. The late night host paused for a few seconds, seemingly taking a moment to compose himself before starting up again.

“There is nothing that can ever be said that can approach the immeasurable grief of those families,” he continued. “But while we’re at it, let’s pray this time our leaders show a modicum of courage in trying to prevent this from ever happening again.”

Colbert then told his viewers, “prayers won’t end this. Voting might. So when you vote, ask yourself this question: Who, running for office, has publicly stated that they are willing to do anything and everything in their power to protect your children from the criminally insane number of guns in America?”

An 18-year-old man shot and killed 21 people Tuesday at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and was later shot and killed on the scene by law enforcement, the Associated Press reports. The shooting is the deadliest school shooting since the December 2012 Sandy Hook shooting, which left 20 children and six adults dead.

Tuesday’s mass shooting comes just days after another a similar incident in which a gunman shot and killed 10 people at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, on May 14.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs weeknights at 11:35/10:35c on CBS. Watch Colbert’s full Tuesday monologue in the video above.