In Santa Fe, Texas, the civil trial against the parents of Dimitrios Pagourtzis, the student who allegedly shot and killed 10 individuals at Santa Fe High School in May 2018, has commenced with jury selection on Monday.
In February, a Galveston County judge set a trial date for the civil suit filed by the victims’ families and survivors.
According to the lawsuit, Pagourtzis was able to access his parents’ weapons because they were not properly secured. Additionally, the suit claims that his parents did not provide him with the necessary mental health counseling that he required.
Last week, Pagourtzis’ parents filed a motion stating that they are not responsible for controlling the actions of others and that the harm caused to the plaintiffs was solely the result of their son’s actions.
According to reports, Pagourtzis, who was 17 years old at the time, allegedly entered an art class in the school at 7:30 am and began firing his weapon. The incident resulted in the school being locked down, and students had to be evacuated en masse before the suspect was apprehended.
Thirteen individuals suffered injuries, in addition to the ten fatalities.
During the pre-trial motions review, the judge met with the legal representatives of the plaintiffs, Pagourtzis, and his parents. Together, they discussed the admissibility of evidence in the upcoming trial.
Clint McGuire, the plaintiffs’ attorney, stated that they will request any statements made by Dimitrios before and after the incident regarding what happened.
According to Pagourtzis’ lawyer, Roberto Torres, there were some disagreements on motions, but he did not provide any further details. He did mention that the majority of the motions were mutually accepted by both parties.
According to reports, the suspect in the shooting, Pagourtzis, who is currently 23 years old, has been deemed unfit to stand trial. His legal team argued that his mental state had “deteriorated” and that he had no memory of the shooting or comprehension of the legal proceedings against him.
Officials have reported that the accused shooter is currently being held at a mental facility while awaiting re-evaluation of their criminal case in 2025.
On Monday, Santa Fe Mayor Brandon Noto wrote a letter to the U.S. Attorney General requesting an investigation by the Department of Justice into the shooting incident. The victims had requested the DOJ to investigate the matter two months ago, and the mayor’s letter was in support of their request.
Noto expressed that even after all this time, the culprit has not been brought to justice for their actions. The events that led up to and followed this tragic incident are still shrouded in mystery and uncertainty.
In his statement, he demanded that the DOJ apologize to the victims and their families.
Noto wrote that the Department’s form response to a previous investigation request stated, “you request an investigation into the Columbine shooting” in the letter.
According to Noto, the reference to the inaccurate shooting is “absurd and demonstrates a complete lack of respect for the individuals who lost their lives on that fateful day.”
The trial for his parents is set to begin on Wednesday, and the opening statements will kick-start the proceedings. According to attorneys, the trial is likely to continue for three weeks.
