Students from Santa Fe High School say that the suspected killer in this week’s tragic school shooting may have been bullied by teachers as well as classmates.
Dmitrios Pagourtzis was arrested on Friday for murdering ten people and injuring ten others in his Texas high school. The 17-year-old carried a shotgun onto campus along with various pipe bombs. The deranged young man was reportedly seeking revenge on people he felt had wronged him in the school, including several teachers.
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In the aftermath of the tragedy, students have opened up about Pagourtzis. According to a report by Fox 26 Houston, some believe that their teachers were as much a target as any of the kids themselves were. Dustin Severin, a high school junior, told the outlet that coaches had a part in “emotionally bullying” Pagourtzis.
“I know he’s picked on by coaches and other students. He didn’t really talk to anyone. Nothing like physical but they still emotionally bullied him,” Dustin said.
Pagourtzis’ attorney, Nicholas Poehl, agrees with that assessment. He told ABC 12 that “it appears” there was “teacher-on-student” bullying in Pagourtzis’ case. He claims to have obtained reports of the Santa Fe High football coaches harassing his young client.
The school district has denied these claims. More and more people around the country find these details irrelevant, questioning instead how Pogourtzis obtained two firearms and explosives. Both the shotgun and the .38 revolver he was carrying were legally owned by his father, according to a report by CNN.
Pagourtzis’ family issed a short statement on Saturday. They are reportedly shocked and confused by their boy’s actions, describing him as a “smart, quiet, sweet boy.”
“While we remain mostly in the dark about the specifics of yesterday’s tragedy, what we have learned from media reports seems incompatible with the boy we love,” they said. They also offered their condolences to the victims and their families. They are cooperating completely with the investigators.
Pagourtzis himself is being held without bail. He is charged with capital murder of multiple people and aggravated assault on a public servant. If he is convicted, the teen will face a maximum punishment of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years.
Another of Pagourtzis’ lawyers, Robert Barfield, told reporters that the 17-year-old is “not doing well,” and that he is “confused.” He himself has told investigators that he was working alone. He added that he purposefully spared people he liked because he wanted his story told.
