Alleged Texas School Shooter Says He Purposely Didn't Shoot Certain Students
The teenager whose alleged Friday shooting spree in a Texas high school left at least 10 people dead and 10 others wounded, picked and chose his targets, according to a court document.
The 17-year-old suspected gunman was charged with capital murder of multiple persons and aggravated assault against a public servant after allegedly entering Santa Fe High school, where he was a student, and opening fire.
Dimitrios Pagourtzis “gave a statement admitting to shooting multiple people inside” the school “with the intent on killing people,” but also said “he did not shoot students he did like so he could have his story told,” according to an affidavit charging him with the crimes, Fox News reported.
The suspected gunman, who carried a Remington 870 shotgun and a .38 caliber pistol during the spree, had originally not planned to survive the attack, Texas Gov. Greg Abbot said, according to CNN. Both guns were legally owned by the teenager’s father.
Abbott said Texas law enforcement authorities found 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.”
“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,” Abbott told reporters.
Student Isabelle Laymance, who hid for safety in a closet during the attack, told The Washington Post the alleged gunman seemed uncertain after police made contact.
“‘I’ll surrender, but I need y’all to talk to me. I can’t hear you, I think I’ve blown my eardrum out. Can y’all get a megaphone? Don’t get near me. I’ll come out to y’all,'” she said he told police.
“Then he said, ‘Give me a second, I’m thinking,’ and while he said that, you could hear him reloading his gun. And then the cop would step closer and he would shoot. And he said, ‘Don’t get closer to me,’” she said, adding that after a few minutes, he did give himself up.
Officials said the suspect had a clean record prior to Friday’s attack.
“As far as having a criminal history, he has none. His slate is pretty clean,” Abbott said.
Abbott said there were no red flag warnings that could have alerted school officials to the attack.
One parent whose son knew the accused shooter said bullying could have been an issue.
Jeremy Severin, whose son played junior varsity football with the suspect, said he had been teased and bullied by football coaches and classmates. The accused shooter played defensive tackle.
“Coaches would say that he stunk, smelled like crap,” Severin said.
Another teammate, Tyler Ray, 18, said the alleged gunman was relatively quiet but had a good attitude, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
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