The suspected gunman in a mass shooting at a Texas high school that left 10 people dead is under suicide watch at the Galveston County Jail, officials said Monday.
Charged with capital murder and held without bond, 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis admitted to authorities that he opened fire at Santa Fe High School but did not kill students he liked “so that he could have his story told,” according to police affidavit.
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“Right now he’s in the Galveston County jail under suicide watch, in there for capital murder,” said Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset at a Monday press conference in Santa Fe, Texas.
Police Chief Walter Braun of the Santa Fe Independent School District said Officer John Barnes, the school resource officer who was shot during the attack as he confronted the gunman, remains in intensive care.
“Officer Barnes is still in ICU,” Braun said. “He’s had subsequent surgeries and he’s had ups and downs. Today was a down day. We’re still in prayer and hope he recovers.”
Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset said Monday that it took four minutes for school resource officers to engage with the gunman. He added that 200 law enforcement officers rushed to the school district in response to the shooting, and said he doesn’t “believe” that any of the victims or those injured were shot from crossfire between the gunman and police.
Eight of the 10 people killed were students, and the other two were teachers. Thirteen others were injured in the shooting.
Officials said that teachers and staff are scheduled to return to campuses on Wednesday, while students are scheduled to return to campus on May 29, according to KPRC-TV.
The school will enact extra security measures once students return to campus, authorities said, noting that additional resources, like a crisis hotline number, were available on the district’s website.
Pagourtzis allegedly used two weapons, a .38 pistol and shotgun, to carry out the shooting. Both weapons were legally owned by his father.
“Neither of these weapons were owned or legally possessed by the shooter,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott said, reports CNN. “I have no information if the father was aware the son had taken these weapons.”
Police also found pressure cookers and pipe bombs around the school grounds, none of which detonated.
Abbott confirmed during a press conference that Pagourtzis was planning to take his own life after the shooting, based off of findings in his personal journal and cell phone.
“We also know information already that the shooter has information contained in journals on his computer and his cell phone that he said that not only did he want to commit the shooting, but he wanted to commit suicide after the shooting,” Abbott told reporters.
The governor continued, “As you probably know, he gave himself up and admitted at the time he didn’t have the courage to commit the suicide, that he wanted to take his own life earlier.”
