MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Ten people killed in school shooting by a student near Houston, Texas

Nine students and a teacher were killed in the Friday's shooting, law enforcement sources told CBS News senior investigative producer Pat Milton.

Ten people were killed and 10 wounded in a shooting on Friday morning at a high school south of Houston, authorities said. The shooting at Santa Fe High School was the nation's deadliest such attack since the massacre in Florida that gave rise to a campaign by teens for gun control.

Nine students and a teacher were killed in the Friday's shooting, law enforcement sources told CBS News senior investigative producer Pat Milton. Another 10 people were wounded, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said at an afternoon news conference.

Officials began identifying those killed in the attack Friday afternoon, including Ann Perkins, a substitute teacher at the school, and Sabika Sheikh, a Pakistani exchange student.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Sabika's family and friends,” said Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S.

The suspect in custody was identified as 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis, Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset said in a statement. He was being held without bond on a charge of capital murder. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the suspect was believed to be a student at the school.

Investigators said Pagourtzis admitted to authorities that he went on a shooting rampage at a Southeast Texas high school that left 10 dead, most of them students. According to a probable cause affidavit, however, Dimitrios Pagourtzis told investigators that when he opened fire at Santa Fe High School on Friday morning, “he did not shoot students he did like so he could have his story told.”

Pagourtzis is being held without bond at the Galveston County Jail. He is charged with capital murder of multiple persons and aggravated assault against a public servant.
Authorities said they discovered homemade explosive devices in the school and nearby, including pipe bombs, at least one Molotov cocktail and pressure-cooker bombs similar to those used in the Boston Marathon attack.

Abbott called the shooting “one of the most heinous attacks that we've ever seen in the history of Texas schools.”

Houston police chief Art Acevedo said school resource officer John Barnes is “hanging in there” after being shot in the arm. Barnes was the first person to engage with the suspect, officials said.
Pagourtzis' social media pages showed multiple images of guns. He recently posted a photo wearing a T-shirt reading “Born to Kill” and there were also photos of a long dark jacket with Nazi symbols.

Abbott said the suspect had said that he wanted to commit suicide after the shooting. “He gave himself up and admitted at the time that he didn't have the courage to commit the suicide,” he said.
President Trump, who was in Washington, initially reacted to the shooting on Twitter. Later, while speaking at an event on prison reform, Mr. Trump said it was a “very sad day.”

“This has been going on too long in our country,” he said. “Too many years, too many decades now. We grieve for the terrible loss of life and send our support and love to everyone affected by this absolutely horrific attack. To the students, families, teachers and personnel at Santa Fe High, we're with you in this tragic hour, and we will be with you forever.”