Dimitrios Pagourtzis, age 17, is in custody for the shooting at Santa Fe High School. On May 18th, he is said to have "unleashed a hail of bullets inside one of his classes." He killed 9 students and a teacher. He also wounded another 10 people before being arrested. It's sadly true, in addition to those killed, he wounded at least 10 others who were transferred to hospitals with injuries.
Among the wounded was retired police officer John Barnes who was working there as the school's resource officer. He was shot. The University of Texas Medical Branch told reporters the center received two adult patients and one person under 18 years old. A 17-year-old student was shot in the leg.
The attack began shortly after school started Friday. Besides a shotgun and a .38 caliber pistol, he used explosive devices as they were found at the school.
He was taken into police custody and a second suspect has also been detained. While the killer is in custody, another suspect was detained for further questioning. They were both students. The second person is said to have helped Pagourtzis’ with the attack. And yes, believe it or not, according to law enforcement, there is the possibility of a third person involved in helping the killer.
Police officers responded to Santa Fe High School around 8 a.m. following reports that a shooter opened fire inside the school. The Santa Fe Police Department confirmed explosive devices were found at the campus of the high school and the "surrounding areas adjacent to the school." The school was evacuated and the campus was cleared.
Galveston County Sheriff's Maj. Douglas Hudson said units responded to reports of shots fired. Witnesses say a gunman opened fire inside an art class during first period. Two seniors at the school said that their friend pulled the fire alarm after spotting the shooter. They immediately urged other students to run. They also said they saw an injured female student.
The Clayton County Georgia Police Department stated that the shots were fired after an argument broke out in a parking lot near the Clayton County Schools Performing Arts Center. The parking lot was used for overflow parking for those attending a commencement for graduates of the Perry Learning Center which is an alternative high school that prepares students for careers.
Although held on the campus of Mount Zion High School, authorities said the event was not for Mount Zion students. The number of suspects could not be confirmed, but anyone who could have been involved was being sought. Three cars were towed away from the scene as part of the investigation, but officers said they could not release additional information.
Jonesboro is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,724 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Clayton County. Jonesboro sits about 20 miles south of Atlanta.
So now, who do I blame for these acts? The perpetrators. Those that did the deed. Not their guns or the explosives or the cars that took them where they preformed their heinous act, but them! But while they are responsible for their actions, I can't help but wonder how many of these killers are incited to do what they do because of what young people are being exposed to today?
Bullying is a horrible thing to go through. Being picked on is no fun. Being the brunt of hate and disdain and constant loathing is horrible. Fact is, that's the position that Conservatives and Trump supporters are in today. Yes, even in Public Schools, teachers ridicule those who think for themselves and don't follow the Political Correct line handed out by those in power.
Looking at the ANTIFA model of hate for others in schools around the nation, I can't help but wonder when will we teach students that they don't have to act like those who want to hurt or kill others who are not like them? When will we teach that violence such as what we have seen since the 2016 election is not how you address grievances. Knowing that, when will we explain to kids that shooting each other is not an answer to life's problems? When will people come forward and say encouraging the assassination of those you disagree with is wrong?
Police officers responded to Santa Fe High School around 8 a.m. following reports that a shooter opened fire inside the school. The Santa Fe Police Department confirmed explosive devices were found at the campus of the high school and the "surrounding areas adjacent to the school." The school was evacuated and the campus was cleared.
Galveston County Sheriff's Maj. Douglas Hudson said units responded to reports of shots fired. Witnesses say a gunman opened fire inside an art class during first period. Two seniors at the school said that their friend pulled the fire alarm after spotting the shooter. They immediately urged other students to run. They also said they saw an injured female student.
Santa Fe is a small city of about 13,000 residents. It sits just northwest of Galveston and about 30 miles southeast of Houston. A parent of one of the students told Fox News that they drove to the school immediately after hearing about the shooting. That parent said, "If it can happen in Santa Fe, Texas, it can happen anywhere. I mean, it's just unbelievable."
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) said it was also on the scene. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted early Friday that he arrived at the school to assist officers with the Galveston County Sheriff Office.
Other things that are being said but have yet to be confirmed by the Police are as follows: He is in the 11th grade at Santa Fe High School.According to a student who said he saw the shooter, he was wearing a "trenchcoat and big boots" on Friday when he arrived at school. He himself was also injured during his attack.
Supposedly, he threw pipe bombs into some classrooms. Officials confirmed that explosive devices were found in and around the school. That includes, a pressure cooker with an explosive device which was also found at the scene.
A witness said students and coaches at the school would bully Pagourtzis and "call him names." Sound familiar? While that doesn't excuse such acts, it is a common thread with these killers.
As for the weapons, besides the homemade explosives, he used a shotgun and a .38 caliber handgun in the attack. During a press conference, Texas Governor Greg Abbott stated that the pistol and shotgun belonged to Pagourtzis' father.
He gave himself up to police at the school after the attack. And while that was Friday morning in Texas, at least one person was killed and another injured on Friday night in a shooting that followed a graduation ceremony in Jonesboro, Georgia.
The Clayton County Georgia Police Department stated that the shots were fired after an argument broke out in a parking lot near the Clayton County Schools Performing Arts Center. The parking lot was used for overflow parking for those attending a commencement for graduates of the Perry Learning Center which is an alternative high school that prepares students for careers.
Although held on the campus of Mount Zion High School, authorities said the event was not for Mount Zion students. The number of suspects could not be confirmed, but anyone who could have been involved was being sought. Three cars were towed away from the scene as part of the investigation, but officers said they could not release additional information.
Jonesboro is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,724 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Clayton County. Jonesboro sits about 20 miles south of Atlanta.
So now, who do I blame for these acts? The perpetrators. Those that did the deed. Not their guns or the explosives or the cars that took them where they preformed their heinous act, but them! But while they are responsible for their actions, I can't help but wonder how many of these killers are incited to do what they do because of what young people are being exposed to today?
And that leads me to my question, what are children being taught these days? What is influencing kids to act like this? Where do they get the idea that hate and killing is the way of the world?
Part of the problem is the schools themselves where teachers are preaching hate for others not like them or have differing political views. Teachers who dislike Trump make the news all of the time with their open hatred for the president.
Teachers hate him in conversations, online, and they hate him standing in front of students. Students who are fond of these teachers are influenced by their hate so they too hate President Trump for god-knows-what-reasons.
Is it OK to hate President Trump in the classroom? Is it OK to influence others to hate as venomously as some Teachers do? Is that why there's a rise in Home Schooling? Is it that the hate and political agenda of Teachers is out of control?
It would be one thing if Teachers taught students to think for themselves, but that's not what's going on. Students are being told that transgender men going into girl's bathrooms is OK, that people who break the law and not punished because they are Democrats is OK, that foreigners coming here illegally is OK, that hate is OK as long as that hate is for people who don't think the same way as you do.
And no, from everything that I've been researching, it is apparent that some Teachers are not denouncing hate but actually encouraging it. Add this to us living in an era when irrational hate for President Trump and Conservatives is everywhere in the media these day, I have to ask when will we start teaching students right from wrong again?
What is influencing the idea that life is cheap? What makes students thing life is not precious? Without upsetting Democrats who support killing the unborn, I have to wonder when will we teach kids that all life is valuable?
Part of the problem is the schools themselves where teachers are preaching hate for others not like them or have differing political views. Teachers who dislike Trump make the news all of the time with their open hatred for the president.
Teachers hate him in conversations, online, and they hate him standing in front of students. Students who are fond of these teachers are influenced by their hate so they too hate President Trump for god-knows-what-reasons.
Is it OK to hate President Trump in the classroom? Is it OK to influence others to hate as venomously as some Teachers do? Is that why there's a rise in Home Schooling? Is it that the hate and political agenda of Teachers is out of control?
It would be one thing if Teachers taught students to think for themselves, but that's not what's going on. Students are being told that transgender men going into girl's bathrooms is OK, that people who break the law and not punished because they are Democrats is OK, that foreigners coming here illegally is OK, that hate is OK as long as that hate is for people who don't think the same way as you do.
And no, from everything that I've been researching, it is apparent that some Teachers are not denouncing hate but actually encouraging it. Add this to us living in an era when irrational hate for President Trump and Conservatives is everywhere in the media these day, I have to ask when will we start teaching students right from wrong again?
What is influencing the idea that life is cheap? What makes students thing life is not precious? Without upsetting Democrats who support killing the unborn, I have to wonder when will we teach kids that all life is valuable?
There was a time when people did not act like this in the numbers they do today. So I have to wonder how much of this is influenced by what the hate that they are being bombarded with? And frankly, when will we again teach children that the world is not all about the venom coming from the Liberal media?
Bullying is a horrible thing to go through. Being picked on is no fun. Being the brunt of hate and disdain and constant loathing is horrible. Fact is, that's the position that Conservatives and Trump supporters are in today. Yes, even in Public Schools, teachers ridicule those who think for themselves and don't follow the Political Correct line handed out by those in power.
Looking at the ANTIFA model of hate for others in schools around the nation, I can't help but wonder when will we teach students that they don't have to act like those who want to hurt or kill others who are not like them? When will we teach that violence such as what we have seen since the 2016 election is not how you address grievances. Knowing that, when will we explain to kids that shooting each other is not an answer to life's problems? When will people come forward and say encouraging the assassination of those you disagree with is wrong?
When will we start teaching morals and good conduct again in schools. And before you say it starts at home with the parents, I agree. But I also know that I've never heard of a single parent of any shooter say it's OK to hate and kill. In contrast though, young people have heard celebrities say they want to punch the President, to bomb the White House, to kill the President, and more. They've also heard Democrat politicians and their minion on television spread all sort of hate for the President and we his supporters.
So really, since the hate for some in our nation has gotten so out of hand, I want to know if people on the Left will ever take responsibility for influencing young minds to hate the way they do?
The Liberal Left's angry message is not a good influence on students. It's not a good message when kids are looking for answers when trying to figure out how to handle life's problems. I can't help but wonder if the Left would stop its hateful rhetoric, would that stop school shootings as well?
After all, hate and violence is not what children should be taught. While kids think they have the maturity to discern hate speech from the truth, I agree with those who say they don't and simply see hate speech coming from within schools and the Liberal media as the truth. What they are being taught in schools and the media should be stopped. We have to stop influencing kids in the wrong way.
That's the way I see it.
The Liberal Left's angry message is not a good influence on students. It's not a good message when kids are looking for answers when trying to figure out how to handle life's problems. I can't help but wonder if the Left would stop its hateful rhetoric, would that stop school shootings as well?
After all, hate and violence is not what children should be taught. While kids think they have the maturity to discern hate speech from the truth, I agree with those who say they don't and simply see hate speech coming from within schools and the Liberal media as the truth. What they are being taught in schools and the media should be stopped. We have to stop influencing kids in the wrong way.
That's the way I see it.
Tom Correa