10 killed, 13 injured in Santa Fe High School shooting, suspect in custody
SANTA FE, Texas (FOX 26) - A shooter is in police custody and another suspect has been detained following a shooting that left multiple people dead and others injured at Santa Fe High School in Texas.
Ten people are dead and 13 people are injured, most of them students, after shots were fired Friday morning at SFHS, located about 30 miles south of Houston.
Dimitrios Pagourtzis, 17, who is a student at the school, has been arrested and charged with Capital Murder and Aggravated Assault of a Peace Officer in the shooting. He is being held without bond.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT DIMITRIOS PAGOURTZIS, THE SUSPECTED SHOOTER
Pagourtzis obtained the two weapons he used in the attack from his father, who legally owned them.
He's said to have used a .38 pistol and a shotgun. Some people reported that the shotgun was sawed off.
A person of interest, who has only been identified as a student, has also been detained.
A Santa Fe ISD police officer, who just retired from the Houston Police Department, was critically injured in the shooting.
Possible explosive devices have also been located at the school and off campus. Law enforcement is working to render them safe.
READ MORE: STUDENTS RECOUNT THE TERRIFYING MOMENTS DURING SHOOTING
The FBI, ATF, Texas Department of Public Safety, and local law enforcement including Santa Fe PD, Galveston County Sheriff’s department and Harris County Sheriff's Office are all on the scene, after reports of shots fired came in just before 8 a.m. Friday.
Ambulances along with LifeFlight have transported victims to local hospitals.
The University of Texas Medical Branch reports that they are treating three patients, two adults, and one under 18 years old.
MORE INFO: BLOOD DRIVE IN SUPPORT OF SCHOOL SHOOTING VICTIMS
Students say they witnessed the shooter open fire inside an art class. Multiple students were struck by in that classroom.
Zach Muehe, a sophomore at the school, tells FOX 26 that he saw another student from his football class come into his classroom and start shooting.
Muehe says he then ran to another classroom to alert a teacher to evacuate the school.
We're hearing reports that someone pulled the fire alarm to help evacuate students. Many students report that they didn't hear gunshots until after the fire alarm went off.
READ MORE: EXPLOSIVE DEVICES FOUND ON AND OFF SFHS CAMPUS
A 17-year-old student named Dakota told FOX 26 her friend was shot in the leg.
"It was very dramatic because I thought she was going to the ambulance because we all had to run through and she's very dramatic so I thought she rolled her ankle or something but when I called her she was screaming crying saying she got shot in the leg and so much is going on and it was dramatic," Dakota said.
Several people ran from the campus and crossed Highway 6, which has now been closed.
PARKLAND STUDENTS REACT TO SANTA FE HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTING
A prayer vigil was held at Texas First Bank in Santa Fe off Highway 6 on Friday night as family and friends gathered to honor the victims.
Administrators said late Friday night that Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt will personally pay for funerals of all Santa Fe High School Shooting victims.
Governor Abbott has ordered Texas flags to fly at half-staff in memory of the victims. Abbott arrived in Santa Fe early Friday afternoon to be with officials and victims.
President Donald Trump addressed the incident during an unrelated press conference Friday.
"Everyone must work together at every level of government to keep our children safe," the president said. "May God heal the injured and may God comfort the wounded and may God be with the victims and with the victims' families. Very sad day. Very, very sad ... To the students, families, teachers, and personnel at Santa Fe High, we're with you in this tragic hour and we're with you forever."
Santa Fe High School made headlines earlier this year after a lockdown was set in place when people heard "popping noises" outside the campus.
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick released the following statement on Friday afternoon:
We are mourning the victims of the tragic school shooting in Santa Fe. We are heartbroken and outraged by this loss. Gov. Greg Abbott and I are committed to using every resource we have to respond today and protect our students going forward. We are grateful for the emergency officers and school administrators' swift action in getting students to safety as well as the exemplary work that is being done now by our law enforcement.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Leigh Wall sent a letter addressed to the Santa Fe ISD community with the following sentiment on Friday afternoon:
Today, our community suffered a terrible tragedy at Santa Fe High School. Words cannot express the sorrow in our hearts for those we have lost. As I write this message, our campus remains an active crime scene with law enforcement personnel from throughout our region supporting Santa Fe ISD Police Chief, Walter Braun.
Like You, I have many questions about this horrific event. Those answers will come in time as this methodical, thorough investigation moves forward. You have my word that you will remain informed and involved as we cope with this event together as a family.
In the meantime, the Santa Fe community will pull together to support our friends, neighbors and loved ones who are suffering. This is a time for prayer and a time to rely on the deep bonds that have always held our special community together.
We have received an outpour of offers of support from our neighbors locally, statewide and nationally. I want you to know that we will gladly accept every resource that will help our students on what promises to be long road to recovery. Your children’s needs- emotionally, spiritually and physically- will be met by those who are best equipped to do so.
This is only the first of many messages you will receive from me as our team seeks to keep you informed. Today is a day to begin mourning those we have lost and nursing those who are hurt. We are in this together.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner released the following statement on Friday evening:
The tragedy at Santa Fe High School is a painful reminder that our children are vulnerable in the very place we send them to be nurtured and educated. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families who must live with the heinous actions committed by cowards.
But for those of us in government, expressions of support are not enough. The next steps should be policy changes to provide school districts in our local communities and across Texas with resources to keep students and teachers safe.
School districts across Texas should consider installing metal detectors in all campus buildings. Metal detectors are a deterrent to anyone who might try to bring deadly weapons into schools. They also can detect weapons carried by the undeterred.
As we care about protecting travelers and visitors to federal, state and locally owned buildings, we must also show the same sense of urgency, concern, and compassion toward children and adults in schools. Schools must be made to be as safe as airports and government buildings.
The cost of installing metal detectors may be an obstacle for some school districts. Therefore, I call on state elected leaders to make funding metal detectors and other security measures in schools a priority across Texas.
When schools open in the next school year, metal detectors should be in place to provide additional safety for our children.
For now, there is no end in sight to the evil school shootings plaguing our country.
We must make a change now because our children’s lives are worth protecting. I will explore further possible policy changes in consultation with the Mayor’s Commission Against Gun Violence, whose members I will announce in a few days.
This is a developing story. Please check back for new updates on FOX 26.