GALVESTON, Texas – On Wednesday, the judge proceeding over the Santa Fe civil trial against the parents of accused gunman Dimitrios Pagourtzis denied the defense’s motion to have Santa Fe ISD designated as a responsible third party in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit against Dimitrios’ parents, Antonios and Rose Marie Kosmetatos, stemmed from the tragic 2018 mass shooting at Santa Fe High School, where Dimitrios allegedly opened fire, killing 10 people and injuring several others. While Pagourtzis has been deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial, the families of the victims are now seeking to hold his parents accountable for their son’s actions.
Throughout the trial, which has been closely covered by KPRC 2, the courtroom has heard emotional testimonies from the victims’ families, who argue that the Pagourtzis parents should be held responsible for the shooting along with their son.
The attorneys for Dimitrios’s parents, Antonios and Rose Marie Kosmetatos, said that Santa Fe ISD should be included as a responsible third party in the lawsuit, arguing that the school district shared some of the blame for the tragedy.
The defense emphasized that Dimitrios, who could be tried as an adult at 17, took deliberate steps to hide his intentions from his parents, and that the parents had no legal obligation to restrict his access to firearms after he turned 17. The defense also filed a motion to dismiss the count of negligent entrustment against the parents, which the judge granted, noting that the plaintiffs did not pursue this claim during the trial.
However, the judge acknowledged that there was sufficient evidence regarding the negligent storage of firearms to allow the trial to continue. The plaintiffs countered the defense’s motion by citing case law that supports holding parents accountable for failing to prevent their children from causing harm, even if those children are nearing adult age.
On Tuesday, the plaintiffs responded to the motion:
On Wednesday, the judge responded, denying the motion to have Santa Fe ISD held responsible for the shooting.
Stay updated on Santa Fe Trial:
Parents of accused Santa Fe HS gunman want school district added to civil lawsuit
Santa Fe trial: Accused gunman Dimitrios Pagourtzis’ younger sister testifies
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