The suspect in a deadly school shooting that left nine students and one teacher dead on Friday has been identified as 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis, law enforcement sources tell CBS News.
The shooting took place at Santa Fe High School, 36 miles southeast of Houston. Pressure cooker and pipe bomb explosives have also been located at and around the school, CBS News reports. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said 10 people were killed and at least 10 more injured.
Stay tuned to Breitbart News for live updates. All times central.
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UPDATE 10:35 pm: Houston Texans superstar J.J. Watt will reportedly pay for the the funerals of all of the victims.
Santa Fe High School officials have been notified that @JJWatt is personally going to pay for the funerals of all the victims of the Santa Fe High School shooting tragedy.
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) May 19, 2018
UPDATE 8:55 pm: Shooting survivor Madilin Williams tells CNN’s Chris Cuomo that her town is all about “friday night lights” and support for gun control is “very, very small.” She says there will likely be a call for more guns in the community.
UPDATE 8:35 pm:
Those are the two firearms gun control zealots promise they will never try to ban: a shotgun, the favorite home defense weapon of Joe Biden, and a pistol that is not "semi-automatic." https://t.co/EbRRNY18HU
— John Hayward (@Doc_0) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 6:45 pm: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton tells CNN’s Erin Burnett they are “looking at another person” and says “I think you’ll be hearing things very shortly.” He says they are still looking to see if there were warning signs that were missed.
UPDATE 6:30 pm: Neighbors reportedly heard an explosion near Dimitrios Pagourtzis’s home at 5:40 am, according to CNN.
UPDATE 6:25 pm:
Just spotted an armored SWAT vehicle make its way toward the home where the #SantaFe shooter is believed to have lived. Teams look like they’re getting ready to do something. #khou11
— David Gonzalez (@DavidGonzKHOU) May 18, 2018
UPDATE 6:20 pm: Suspect makes court appearance. Denied bail.
MOMENTS AGO: Santa Fe shooting suspect Dimitrios Pagourtzis arraigned in Galveston, Texas, court https://t.co/UfcO68zNA4 pic.twitter.com/T4lvCM31my
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 18, 2018
Currently, Dimitrios Pagourtzis is in jail, in solitary confinement, Henry said.
— Keri Blakinger (@keribla) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 6:05 pm:
Newly released chilling dispatch calls from the Santa Fe High School massacre. https://t.co/XQEMwsgmur pic.twitter.com/JTvV8lwEhM
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 5:00 pm: Gun-control zealot says pro-Second Amendment politicians “should start praying for themselves.”
NEW: @ChrisMurphyCT: "Politicians who offer hollow words with no action should start saying prayers for themselves, because judgment will be firm on those who stand by idly while children are gunned down.” https://t.co/LyITb9U09u pic.twitter.com/mJiiC7h6u9
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) May 18, 2018
Flashback:
UPDATE: 4:25 pm:
List: Vigils to be held for victims of Santa Fe shooting https://t.co/1I5WK62esW
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 4:20 pm:
Fatal shootings at U.S. schools have plummeted in the past 20 years https://t.co/BUVEQIkfak pic.twitter.com/opqGrjBdqZ
— Justin Miller (@justinjm1) May 18, 2018
A highly misleading story that buries the point: "A member of the military has been about 40 times as likely to be killed as someone is to die in a school shooting." https://t.co/hJwUYAD5k3
— Justin Miller (@justinjm1) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 3:45 pm: Santa Fe High School pitcher Rome Shubert is miraculously “completely okay” after being shot in the back of the head. “I’m so grateful and blessed that God spared my life today,” he reportedly said.
Santa Fe RHP Rome Shubert (@rome_shubert17) a sophomore and @UHCougarBB commit, was injured during the tragic shooting at Santa Fe High School but is out of the hospital and back home. He explains what happened: pic.twitter.com/2NfTp3T80R
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) May 18, 2018
Santa Fe RHP Rome Shubert (@rome_shubert17), a sophomore and @UHCougarBB commit, was injured during the tragic shooting at Santa Fe High School. Rome was shot in the back of the head, but is out of the hospital and back home: "I was scared for my life and I'm still shaken up." pic.twitter.com/52GHXD2B2P
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 3:37 pm: Obama bro trying to fundraise for Dem. Texas Senate candidate hours after ten high school students murdered.
Today is a good day to #GiveABuckToBeto. Help @BetoORourke beat that piece of garbage Ted Cruz. It's ONE dollar. Come on. Do it. Then tell ten friends. https://t.co/2XKrcOIenm
— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 3:25 pm: President Trump orders U.S. flags flown at half-staff.
President Trump orders U.S. flags at White house, public buildings flown at half-staff in wake of tragic Santa Fe school shooting.
READ FULL PROCLAMATION: pic.twitter.com/OtH0r9VlnZ— KENS 5 (@KENS5) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 3:21 pm:
Many flags already at half staff in #SantaFe and signs changed in wake of #SantaFeSchoolShooting just outside #Houston #Texas. #KHOU11 pic.twitter.com/wLkAJWpMCE
— Lauren Talarico (@KHOULauren) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 3:15 pm:
Santa Fe Mayor Jeff Trambrella to CNN: “pray for us.”
UPDATE: 3:10 pm:
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings reacts to Santa Fe, TX school shooting that left at least 8 dead. Tells Congress & Trump to "Spare us your thoughts and prayers and do your job." https://t.co/DD9SwX0b8x pic.twitter.com/I2tqW7swJN
— FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX4) May 18, 2018
We grieve for the terrible loss of life, and send our support and love to everyone affected by this horrible attack in Texas. To the students, families, teachers and personnel at Santa Fe High School – we are with you in this tragic hour, and we will be with you forever… pic.twitter.com/LtJ0D29Hsv
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 3:00 pm:
We send our thoughts and prayers to the families of those affected by the senseless tragedy at Santa Fe High School today. We will hold a moment of silence prior to tonight’s game and fly the Texas flags at MMP at half-staff in support and memory of the victims and their families
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 18, 2018
Prayers Up for Santa Fe 🙏🏽
— Carlos Correa (@TeamCJCorrea) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 2:45 pm:
Here’s what we don’t normally see after a mass shooting…a mugshot. 17 year old Dimitrios Pagourtzis has been charged w/ capital murder for killing 10, injuring 10 more #SantaFeHigh shooting @FOX26Houston pic.twitter.com/n306sFrAdN
— Deneige Broom (@DeneigeFOX26) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 2:37 pm:
“We may need to harden our schools to make them safer,” Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says, suggesting limiting entrance and exits into schools. “There aren’t enough people to put a guard at every one” #tictocnews pic.twitter.com/oo3MBqKeIW
— TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) May 18, 2018
Patrick mentioned that the suspect wore a trench coat, which he regularly wore, when it was 90 degrees.
Dustin Sederin, a student at #SantaFeHighSchool, said he saw the shooter moments before Friday’s massacre wearing a trench coat and a ‘"Born to Kill"’ T-shirt. Sederin said the boy was bullied and very quiet. pic.twitter.com/ttrJrklJHE
— KPRC 2 Houston (@KPRC2) May 18, 2018
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick: “If you’re a parent and you own guns, lock your guns safely away. It’s a serious issue” #tictocnews pic.twitter.com/9rTVyLkEHs
— TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 2:33 pm: Pelosi wants gun-control vote “now.”
Pelosi calls for vote on gun legislation. “Congress must show as much courage as they have, and act now to ensure that no other community or family must endure the unthinkable horror of gun violence. Our children deserve real leadership: a vote to prevent gun violence now.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 2:31 pm:
BREAKING: Texas governor says school shooting suspect had shotgun, .38-revolver, and that both belong to suspect's father.
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 18, 2018
BREAKING Texas governor Greg Abbott: A CO2 device, a Molotov cocktail and various other types of explosive devices have been found in a home and in a vehicle. The suspect's vehicle is missing. The suspect wrote journals and had indicated he was suicidal.
— James Cook (@BBCJamesCook) May 18, 2018
Governor Abbott: There were no warning signs, no criminal history for #SantaFeHighSchool shooting suspect. Only red flag was picture of shirt on his Facebook page that read “Born to Kill” #khou11 https://t.co/gn8BRLhzIl
— Stephanie Whitfield (@KHOUStephanie) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 2:03 pm
Texas Governor Greg Abbott addresses the media, saying there have been 10 fatalities and 10 people were wounded, two other people of interest are being interviewed, and that a shotgun and revolver were used in the attack:
Texas Governor @GregAbbott_TX and @SenTedCruz hold a news conference after Texas high school shooting (Courtesy: KRIV) https://t.co/RkWScwjYZI
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 18, 2018
TX Gov. Greg Abbott calls deadly Santa Fe High shooting "one of the most heinous acts that we've ever seen in the history of Texas schools" @nbc6
— Julia Bagg (@JuliaNBC6) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 1:42 pm
For updates on the ongoing criminal investigation into today's incident at Santa Fe High School, follow this Twitter account.
— FBI Houston (@FBIHouston) May 18, 2018
Former Vice President Joe Biden tweets:
Enough is enough is enough. Decent people have to take a stand. These are our children.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 18, 2018
Gun Owners of America issued the following statement:
Springfield, VA – Executive Director of Gun Owners of America (GOA) Erich Pratt stated the following after the tragic shooting at the high school in Santa Fe, Texas:
“Everyone at GOA grieves with those who lost loved ones. Our prayers go out for families of those affected. It’s heartbreaking to see innocent lives lost.
“Sadly, the media is focused on this shooting, and they continue to do so because they will use it to advance their gun control agenda. Some outlets are continuing to cite the fake number of mass shootings in 2018, which was refuted by The Washington Post after the tragic Parkland shooting.
“The mainstream media has ignored potential mass shootings that were stopped by armed personal, such as the school resource officers who stopped shooters in Maryland and Illinois.
“GOA remains firmly committed to protecting our Second Amendment rights and urges Congress to pass the ‘Safe Students Act’ to repeal gun-free schools, and for Texas to pass Constitutional Carry.”
UPDATE 1:30 pm
Six of the eight patients taken to Clear Lake Medical Center have been discharged. One is still in critical condition, reports KHOU 11’s Janelle Bludau.
6 of the 8 patients taken to Clear Lake Medical Center have been discharged. One is still critical, another is fair. #KHOU11 pic.twitter.com/xBQIM2kojg
— Janelle Bludau (@JanelleKHOU) May 18, 2018
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) issued the following statement:
Our hearts are filled with grief over this horrific loss of life. We are thinking of all the students, educators, families, and first responders affected by the attack at Santa Fe High School. No community should have to endure this. It is a tragedy. While we need to learn more about what took place here, it is urgent that we implement the reforms Congress recently passed to make schools safer and keep deadly weapons away from those who should not have them. This is a time to come together in support of the Santa Fe community.
Hillary Clinton calls for “legislat[ion] to begin dealing with this national shame” and a day for “soul searching across America”:
Every day that we fail to act on gun violence, we are failing our children. This should be a day for soul searching across America – and that soul searching should be matched with legislating to begin dealing with this national shame.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 1:05 pm
The explosives found around the school were pressure cookers and pipe bombs, reports CBS News.
UPDATE: Police found pressure cookers and pipe bombs around the school in Santa Fe, law enforcement source tells CBS News https://t.co/oqRZUFvJK4 pic.twitter.com/aRy8oJ0wFa
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 18, 2018
Anyone with information including photos or videos depicting today's events is asked to contact our Command Center at 409-927-3310. #SantaFeISD
— Santa Fe ISD (@SantaFeISD) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 12:51 pm
MSNBC reports 9 students and 1 teacher have been killed.
BREAKING: 9 students and 1 teacher killed in Texas school mass shooting. pic.twitter.com/g75r0tLwWS
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 12:45 pm
Senator Ted Cruz releases a statement thanking first responders.
“We are so grateful for the first responders who rushed to the scene to protect the safety of the students, and we give thanks for the armed officer who intercepted the gunman and brought the suspect into custody.”
Here's my full statement in response to the tragic school shooting at Santa Fe High School –> https://t.co/J31681Kz1m pic.twitter.com/kXbL05ST2O
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) May 18, 2018
The Houston Independent School District (ISD) released a statement in regards to the tragedy in Santa Fe ISD:
The Houston Independent School District sends condolences to the entire Santa Fe ISD community. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the students, staff, and families affected by this senseless tragedy. We offer our full support to Santa Fe ISD during this difficult time. The HISD Police Department has more than 200 officers assigned to schools and facilities across the district, and they work diligently every day to keep HISD students and staff safe. Today, the department is operating on high alert, and all available officers are on patrol. Additionally crisis counselors are available to students upon request.
UPDATE: 12:25 pm
Law enforcement sources say the shooting suspect has been identified as 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis, according to CBS News.
NEW: Santa Fe shooting suspect has been identified as 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis, law enforcement sources tell CBS News https://t.co/oqRZUFvJK4 pic.twitter.com/LNUDlIk1sA
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 18, 2018
Pagourtzis “allegedly shouted ‘surprise’ before opening fire on students and teachers,” reports Heavy.
UPDATE: 12:15 pm
Santa Fe Independent School District (ISD) confirms “[t]here have been explosive devices found in the high school and surrounding areas adjacent to the high school.”
#UPDATE There have been explosive devices found in the high school and surrounding areas adjacent to the high school. Because of the threat of explosive items, community members should be on the look-out for suspicious packages and anything that looks out of place.
— Santa Fe ISD (@SantaFeISD) May 18, 2018
“Do not touch any items out of place and call 911 as we have agencies that can respond. Our thoughts and prayers are with our students, staff and our community. Please pray for our Santa Fe ISD community. #SantaFeISD,” reads a second tweet from the account.
Emergency medical personnel stage in the Santa Fe High School parking lot. Credit: Bob Levey/Getty Images
Speaking at the White House summit on prison reform, President Trump expressed “sadness and heartbreak,” over the shooting.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott orders flags at half-staff.
Gov. Abbott orders flags at half-staff following Texas mass school shooting:
"The First Lady and I extend our prayers of comfort to the survivors and the families of the victims and we will continue to keep them in our thoughts and prayers."https://t.co/4XyS5FT1UN pic.twitter.com/kxItCQq5RL
— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 18, 2018
UPDATE: 11:15 am
Santa Fe Independent School District (ISD) announced via Facebook that “possible explosive devices” were located at the school and off campus.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzales told assembled media at 10:45 am local time that currently “eight to 10 fatalities” are accounted for. The figures include students and adult staff. One possible male student is in custody and a second person of interest of student age was also apprehended. A Santa Fe ISD police officer was injured at the scene. The sheriff would not describe the type or types of weapons used or found at the active crime scene.
Media briefing from @SheriffEd_HCSO https://t.co/c8HUyarBYp
— HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) May 18, 2018
A “federal law enforcement source” confirms to the Houston Chronicle that “multiple fatalities” were suffered during the shooting. KTRK law enforcement sources report that the single shooter “appears to be a student.”
KTRK reports that law enforcement sources say eight fatalities are currently accounted for.
A spokesman for the UTMB Medical Center noted shortly after 10:00am local time that three patients are currently receiving treatment for “gunshot wounds.” Two patients are reported as adults and another is “under 18.”
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office announced via Twitter the “multiple casualty incident” is no longer active.
We are assisting @SantaFeISD with a multiple-casualty incident at Santa Fe High School. This is no longer an active shooting situation and the injured are being treated. #hounews pic.twitter.com/m7Wuauk9jk
— HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) May 18, 2018
Several elected leaders took to Twitter to express condolences and concerns in response to the incident.
School shooting in Texas. Early reports not looking good. God bless all!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 18, 2018
Please pray for all those at Santa Fe High School in Galveston County, outside Houston. https://t.co/y8kRxm92Te
— Dan Patrick (@DanPatrick) May 18, 2018
Heidi and I are keeping all the students and faculty at Santa Fe High School in our prayers this morning, along with all first responders on the scene. Please be safe and heed warnings from local officials. https://t.co/5Un3Y4IA86
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) May 18, 2018
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton released the following statement in response to the shooting:
The thoughts and prayers of all Texans are with the people of Santa Fe and those affected by today’s tragic shooting. As horrific reports come out of Santa Fe High School, my office stands ready to assist local law enforcement as needed.
UPDATE: 9:15 am
The Santa Fe ISD released a second statement via Facebook noting that the “situation is active, but has been contained.” The district confirmed injuries but did not elaborate on whether they involved students or staff. All other campuses within the school district remain unaffected and are open according to regular scheduling.
Santa Fe High School leadership tells KTRK that the alleged shooter is in custody.
Initial Report:
Galveston County Sheriff Maj. Douglas Hudson tells the Associated Press that units responded to reports of shots fired believed to have occurred around 7:45am local time in an art class. Students on the scene told KTRK about hearing fire alarm bells triggering an evacuation. At that time, shots were reportedly fired.
Officers are at the scene of the high school campus in tactical gear. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzales announced that his department is dispatching units to assist.
Galveston County Sheriffs, Santa Fe Police, and the ATF are on the scene located at 16000 Highway 6. Aerial footage provided by KTRK indicates that students are currently being arranged outside of the campus buildings for bag inspections and processing.
Three life flight helicopters are responding to the scene. No official information is currently available as to how many people require medical evacuation.
Nearby Dickinson ISD confirmed via Twitter that it is now on lockdown as a precautionary measure.
We’re currently in protect mode as a precaution because of reports of a shooting at Santa Fe HS. Doors are locked & personnel are stationed at outer doors to let people in and out. No students allowed outside of building. Field trips are postponed until we go off of protect mode.
— Dickinson ISD (@DickinsonISD) May 18, 2018
Santa Fe ISD employs nine police officers. One was reportedly on the campus at the time of the incident.
This is a developing story.
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