Civil Trial Underway After Survivors Sue the Parents of Texas School Shooter
The parents of a former Texas high school student who was accused of killing 10 people during a shooting rampage at his high school in 2018 are facing a new lawsuit that accuses them of not doing enough to prevent their son's violent actions.
In May 2018, Dimitrios Pagourtzis shot and killed eight students and two teachers at his Santa Fe High School in Texas. Thirteen others were wounded when the then 17-year-old went on a shooting rampage.
Although Pagourtzis has been charged with capital murder for the shooting, he has yet to go on trial for his actions. He is currently being held in a mental facility after being found incompetent to stand trial. The now 23-year-old is currently being held at the North Texas State Hospital in Vernon while awaiting his criminal trial.
Now, victims and their families have taken legal action against Pagourtzis and his parents for the violence inflicted over six years ago. The lawsuit represents plaintiffs including family members of seven of the victims killed and four of the 13 victims who were injured. Named in the lawsuit are the shooter and his parents, Antonio Pagourtzis and Rose Marie Kosematatos.
In a new lawsuit that is being heard in a civil trial, victims and their families say that the shooting was premeditated, predictable, and preventable. The lawsuit explains in part, “Had the murderer not had available to him the weapons for his carnage, his black rage might well have continued to simmer within.”
During opening statements of the civil trial, attorney Clint McGuire who is representing some of the victims argued that the parents should be held financially liable for the shooting. McGuire outlined that the parents knew their son had been struggling with depression, was isolating himself, and was not keeping up with his studies as reflected by his poor grades. Despite this, his parents failed to take reasonable action, even when they knew their son was taking weapons out of the family's safe.
McGuire went on to say that the then 17-year-old had been making disturbing posts online and buying items that displayed hate symbols and slogans such as “Born To Kill.”
McGuire shares, “In spite of the fact he was trying to give them signs, if they did not know he was depressed as they’re claiming, it’s because they failed in their job as parents.”
Pagourtzis’ parents are represented by attorney Lori Laird. Laird shares on behalf of her clients that while the parents feel heartbroken for their son's actions, they ultimately blame their son's mental health condition for the violence he inflicted on his classmates and teachers.
“If there had been signs and symptoms, I guarantee you this mom … she would have immediately done something about that,” Laird said.
Laird also highlighted that some of the blame lies with the Tennessee-based online gun retailer, Lucky Gunner, that sold Pagourtzis over 100 rounds of ammo without first verifying the then teen was allowed to make the purchase. The lawsuit originally named Lucky Gunner as a defendant, but plaintiffs have since settled with the online retailer.
The civil lawsuit is seeking over $1 million in damages. However, a jury can award a higher amount.
This lawsuit is not the first of its kind, and it follows the precedent set after the parents of a Michigan school shooter were the first parents to be convicted in a mass shooting conducted by their child. James and Jennifer Crumbley were both charged with involuntary manslaughter and were sentenced to at least 10 years behind bars.
