Page 3 - aruba-today-20180519

A3
U.S. NEWS Saturday 19 May 2018

Gunman opens fire in Texas high school, killing 10 people

Continued from Front Friday’s assault was the
deadliest in Texas since a
Authorities offered no im- man with a semi-automatic
mediate motive for the rifle attacked a rural church
shooting. The governor said late last year, killing more
the assailant intended to than two dozen people.
kill himself but gave up and There were few prior clues
told police that he did not about Pagourtzis’ behav-
have the courage to take ior, unlike the shootings in
his own life. Parkland and the church in
The deaths were all but cer- Sutherland Springs, Abbott
tain to re-ignite the nation- said. “The red-flag warnings
al debate over gun regu- were either non-existent or
lations, coming just three very imperceptible,” he
months after the Florida at- said. One student told KTRK
tack that killed 17 people at in a telephone interview
Marjory Stoneman Douglas that a gunman came into
High School. her first-period art class and
“It’s been happening ev- started shooting. The stu-
erywhere. I’ve always kind dent said she saw one girl
of felt like that eventually with blood on her leg as the
it was going to happen class evacuated the room.
here too,” Santa Fe student “We thought it was a fire
Paige Curry told Houston drill at first but really, the
television station KTRK. “I teacher said, ‘Start run-
don’t know. I wasn’t sur- ning,’” the student told the
prised. I was just scared.” television station.
Another 10 people were The student said she did
wounded at the school in not get a good look at the
Santa Fe, a city of about shooter because she was
13,000 people roughly running away. She said
30 miles (48 kilometers) students escaped through
southeast of Houston. a door at the back of the
The wounded included a classroom. In the aftermath
school police officer who This photo provided by the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office shows Dimitrios Pagourtzis, who law of the Florida assault, survi-
was the first to confront the enforcement officials took into custody Friday, May 18, 2018. vors pulled all-nighters, pe-
suspect and got shot in the Associated Press titioned city councils and
arm.Michael Farina, 17, said woman who answered the father knew his son had Donald Trump, writing “Our state lawmakers, and or-
he was on the other side of phone at a number asso- taken them. children are being MUR- ganized protests in a grass-
campus when the shooting ciated with the Pagourtzis One or two other people DERED and you’re treating roots movement.
began and thought it was family declined to speak of interest were being inter- this like a game. This is the Within weeks, state law-
a fire drill. He was holding a with the AP. viewed about the shooting, 22nd school shooting just makers adopted changes,
door open for special edu- “Give us our time right now, Abbott said. this year. DO SOMETHING.” including new weapons
cation students in wheel- thank you,” she said. While cable news channels In Texas, senior Logan restrictions. The move ce-
chairs when a principal Pagourtzis plays on the carried hours of live cover- Roberds said he was near mented the gun-friendly
came bounding down the Santa Fe High School junior age, survivors of the Feb. 14 the school’s art room when state’s break with the Na-
hall and telling everyone to varsity football team and Florida attack took to social he heard a fire alarm and tional Rifle Association. The
run. Another teacher yelled is a member of a dance media to express grief and left the building with other NRA fought back with a
out, “It is real!” squad with a local Greek outrage. students. Once outside, lawsuit. In late March, the
Students were led to take Orthodox church. Ac- “My heart is so heavy for the Roberds said, he heard teens spearheaded one of
cover behind a car shop quaintances described him students of Santa Fe High two loud bangs. He initially the largest student protest
across the street from the as quiet and unassuming, School. It’s an all too familiar thought somebody was marches since Vietnam in
school. Some still did not an avid video game player feeling no one should have loudly hitting a trash can. Washington and inspired
feel safe and began jump- who routinely wore a black to experience. I am so sorry Then came three more hundreds of other marches
ing the fence behind the trench coat and black this epidemic touched your bangs. from California to Japan.
shop to run even farther boots to class. town — Parkland will stand “That’s when the teachers The calls for tighter gun
away, Farina said. The suspect used a shotgun with you now and forever,” told us to run,” he said. controls that have swelled
“I debated doing that my- and .38-revolver obtained Marjory Stoneman Douglas At that point, Roberds said, since February have bare-
self,” he said. from his father, who owned student Jaclyn Corin said in he told himself, “Oh my ly registered in gun-loving
The suspect was identified them legally, Abbott said. It a tweet. She also directed God, this is not fake. This is Texas — at least to this
as Dimitrios Pagourtzis. A was not clear whether the her frustration at President actually happening.” point.q