A gunman opened fire in a high school in Texas this morning, killing ten, wounding ten others. The assailant, a 17-year-old student at the school, has been identified as Dimitrios Pagourtzis. He allegedly used a shotgun and a .38 revolver, which according to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, appear to have been obtained from his father and are legally owned.
The shooting reportedly began at about 7:45am, just after the beginning of the school day at Santa Fe High School, 35 miles from Houston, according to authorities.
Witnesses report hearing sounds akin to firecrackers and then seeing both students and teachers running, with some teachers trying to get students to shelter back inside classrooms.
Dakota Shrader, a sophomore, heard alarms sound, went outside, then began hearing gunshots. Shrader said she began to run and then had an asthma attack. “Every school shooting, kids getting killed, innocent kids getting killed,” she told the Houston Chronicle.
Gov. Abbott called the shooting “one of the most heinous attacks that we’ve ever seen in the history of Texas schools. It’s impossible to describe the magnitude of the evil of someone who would attack innocent children in a school.”
“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…” President Trump wrote on Twitter.
Gun control advocates once again demanded action from lawmakers on gun safety measures.
“Our children have become collateral damage in a nation that allows its gun laws to be written by gun lobbyists. I am devastated for the Santa Fe community, and for the families whose worst fear has become a reality,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in a statement emailed to ITN.
“We don’t have to live like this, and our children shouldn’t die like this. Lawmakers must act immediately to address gun violence. If they fail to do so, it is on every American parent to use their voices and their votes to throw them out of office.”
No motive is yet known for the attack and the victims’ names have not yet been released by authorities.
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