INSIDER
Santa Fe School District Board asks branch of DOJ for review six years after mass shooting
Read full article: Santa Fe School District Board asks branch of DOJ for review six years after mass shootingThe Santa Fe Independent School District Board voted unanimously to request an outside review of district safety policies and procedures more than six years after a mass shooting at Santa Fe High School claimed the lives of eight students and two educators.
Santa Fe ISD still discussing whether DOJ probe of mass shooting will move forward
Read full article: Santa Fe ISD still discussing whether DOJ probe of mass shooting will move forwardFour months after the initial request, it remains uncertain whether the DOJ will review the police response to the May 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting. Despite support from lawmakers and victims' families, Santa Fe ISD officials are still in discussions with the DOJ about moving forward.
Texas Senator now calls on DOJ to investigate Santa Fe mass shooting response
Read full article: Texas Senator now calls on DOJ to investigate Santa Fe mass shooting responseCruz’s letter is the latest in a string of lawmaker rebukes over the DOJ’s initial response to a request for this investigation.
Jury finds parents of accused Santa Fe HS shooter not liable in civil trial
Read full article: Jury finds parents of accused Santa Fe HS shooter not liable in civil trialA jury reached a verdict Monday in the civil trial against the parents of accused Santa Fe High School gunman Dimitrios Pagourtzis.
Judge denies motion to add Santa Fe ISD to trial
Read full article: Judge denies motion to add Santa Fe ISD to trialIn a significant development in the Santa Fe High School shooting civil trial, the judge has denied the defense’s motion to designate Santa Fe ISD as a responsible third party. The parents of accused gunman Dimitrios Pagourtzis are now solely facing the lawsuit brought by the victims' families, who seek to hold them accountable for the tragic 2018 incident. Emotional testimonies from the victims’ families continue to highlight the trial, pushing for justice and accountability.
Parents of accused Santa Fe HS gunman want school district added to civil lawsuit
Read full article: Parents of accused Santa Fe HS gunman want school district added to civil lawsuitThe parents of Dimitrios Pagourtzis, the accused shooter in the 2018 Santa Fe High School tragedy, are pushing to include Santa Fe ISD in the lawsuit. As emotional testimonies from victims' families continue, the defense argues that the school district shares some responsibility. Will the judge rule in favor of this motion? Stay tuned for more updates on this evolving case.
Dept. of Justice finally apologizes for response on Santa Fe mass shooting request for investigation
Read full article: Dept. of Justice finally apologizes for response on Santa Fe mass shooting request for investigationIn a message dated Tuesday, August 6, the DOJ addressed Matranga and Mayor Noto by saying “Please accept our deepest sympathies for the tragedy that occurred in your community on May 18, 2022.” The letter went on to acknowledge the error, calling its initial response to Matranga’s letter “inappropriate.”
DAY 7: Youngest victim’s mother, other parents testify in Santa Fe High School mass shooting civil trial
Read full article: DAY 7: Youngest victim’s mother, other parents testify in Santa Fe High School mass shooting civil trialTestimonies from the parents of victims in the civil trial against the parents of Dimitrios Pagourtzis, the gunman accused of killing 10 people in the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting, have wrapped up for the day.
BLOG Day 6: Parents of student killed in 2018 shooting testify in civil trial against parents of Santa Fe HS shooter
Read full article: BLOG Day 6: Parents of student killed in 2018 shooting testify in civil trial against parents of Santa Fe HS shooterThe parents of Sabika Sheikh will testify remotely Monday in the civil trial against the parents of Dimitrios Pagourtzis, the gunman accused of killing 10 people in the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting.
Galveston County DA can’t authenticate Santa Fe HS computer was used by gunman to research school shootings
Read full article: Galveston County DA can’t authenticate Santa Fe HS computer was used by gunman to research school shootingsDuring opening statements of the civil trial involving the 2018 mass shooting at Santa Fe High School, the jury was told the charged gunman spent months planning his attack. That planning, jurors heard, included online searches about other school shootings, suicide, Kamikaze techniques and weapons.
LIVE BLOG: Key testimony on motive in civil trial against parents of Santa Fe HS shooter, Dimitrios Pagourtzis
Read full article: LIVE BLOG: Key testimony on motive in civil trial against parents of Santa Fe HS shooter, Dimitrios PagourtzisFriday marked day two for witnesses to testify in the civil trial against the parents of Dimitrios Pagourtzis, the gunman accused of killing 10 people in the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting.
Santa Fe ISD pushes back on whether school computer was used to research school shootings
Read full article: Santa Fe ISD pushes back on whether school computer was used to research school shootingsDuring opening statements of the civil trial involving the 2018 mass shooting at Santa Fe High School, the jury was told the charged gunman spent months planning his attack. That planning, jurors heard, included online searches about other school shootings, suicide, Kamikaze techniques and weapons.
Former Santa Fe HS student takes stand at civil trial, details how shooter antagonized them during shooting massacre
Read full article: Former Santa Fe HS student takes stand at civil trial, details how shooter antagonized them during shooting massacreA former student and survivor at Santa Fe High School was the first to take the stand as a witness Thursday morning in the civil trial against the parents of Dimitrios Pagourtzis, the gunman accused of killing 10 people in the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting.
DAY 2: Witnesses take the stand in civil trial against parents of Santa Fe HS shooter, Dimitrios Pagourtzis
Read full article: DAY 2: Witnesses take the stand in civil trial against parents of Santa Fe HS shooter, Dimitrios PagourtzisSeveral witnesses were called to the stand Thursday in the civil trial against the parents of Dimitrios Pagourtzis, the gunman accused of killing 10 people in the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting.
‘All I heard in there was excuses:’ Victim’s families react as opening statements made in Santa Fe school shooting trial
Read full article: ‘All I heard in there was excuses:’ Victim’s families react as opening statements made in Santa Fe school shooting trialOpening statements revealed new details about the 2018 mass shooting at Santa Fe High School.
Opening statements wrap up in Santa Fe HS shooting trial
Read full article: Opening statements wrap up in Santa Fe HS shooting trialOpening statements are set to begin Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. after a jury of 12, along with two alternates, have been seated in the civil trial against the parents of Dimitrios Pagourtzis, the gunman accused of killing 10 people in the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting.
Santa Fe HS shooting trial: Jury selections underway, opening statements scheduled to begin Wednesday
Read full article: Santa Fe HS shooting trial: Jury selections underway, opening statements scheduled to begin WednesdayThe civil trial against the parents of the accused Santa Fe High School shooter has begun, with jury selection currently in progress. Families of the victims claim the parents should have done more to prevent the tragedy. Opening statements are set for Wednesday. The trial is expected to last three weeks.
LIVE BLOG: Santa Fe Mass School Shooting civil trial started Monday, 150 potential jurors given questionnaire
Read full article: LIVE BLOG: Santa Fe Mass School Shooting civil trial started Monday, 150 potential jurors given questionnaireToday marks the start of the long-awaited civil trial against the parents of Dimitrios Pagourtzis, the gunman responsible for the tragic 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting that claimed the lives of eight students and two teachers. Families of the victims held a private prayer vigil ahead of the proceedings. The lawsuit accuses the parents of failing to recognize signs of their son's mental illness and allowing him access to firearms. Follow KPRC 2 Investigative reporter Robert Arnold for live updates throughout the trial. What are your thoughts on this ongoing case? Let us know in the comments.
‘The 10 deserve justice:’ Families of Santa Fe school shooting victims hold private prayer vigil ahead of civil trial
Read full article: ‘The 10 deserve justice:’ Families of Santa Fe school shooting victims hold private prayer vigil ahead of civil trialVictims, loved ones and witnesses of the 10 people killed in the shooting gathered Sunday night ahead of the trial.
Six years after mass shooting, wounded Santa Fe ISD police officer still fighting for benefits
Read full article: Six years after mass shooting, wounded Santa Fe ISD police officer still fighting for benefitsBarnes was the first officer to confront the gunman and was hit with a blast from a shotgun, which shredded an artery in his arm.
Santa Fe mass shooting civil trial postponed, DA’s office to hand over some information from criminal case
Read full article: Santa Fe mass shooting civil trial postponed, DA’s office to hand over some information from criminal caseThe start of the long-awaited civil trial over the mass shooting at Santa Fe High School has been postponed until mid-summer.
Gender-based assignment at Texas high school, “Genderbread Person,” sparks controversy
Read full article: Gender-based assignment at Texas high school, “Genderbread Person,” sparks controversyThe assignment is called The Genderbread Person, which features a drawing of what appears to be a gingerbread man, but those raising concerns say there is nothing “cookie-cutter” about it.
‘There is someone hunting me’: Santa Fe High School massacre examined in season 5 premiere of ‘The Evidence Room’
Read full article: ‘There is someone hunting me’: Santa Fe High School massacre examined in season 5 premiere of ‘The Evidence Room’The KPRC 2 Investigates true crime docuseries 'The Evidence Room' is in its fourth season, streaming exclusively on KPRC 2+.
5 years after Santa Fe, a former deputy who responded to the shooting speaks with KPRC 2
Read full article: 5 years after Santa Fe, a former deputy who responded to the shooting speaks with KPRC 2For the first time, we are hearing from a former Galveston County Sheriff’s deputy who responded to the mass shooting at Santa Fe High School in May 2018.
Addressing threatening behavior at Texas schools
Read full article: Addressing threatening behavior at Texas schoolsWhile much of the discussion about school safety has recently revolved around putting armed security on every campus and increasing police training, there is less highlighted work being done on campuses across the state to spot potential problems before they spiral into violent behavior.
How Texas’ plan to curb school violence was knocked down by a pandemic and little oversight
Read full article: How Texas’ plan to curb school violence was knocked down by a pandemic and little oversightThreat assessment teams were created to prevent the next school shooting. However, confusion surrounds how these teams operate and what they even do with a child exhibiting threatening behavior.
‘An ode to survivors’: Santa Fe community to unveil new monument on 5th anniversary of massacre
Read full article: ‘An ode to survivors’: Santa Fe community to unveil new monument on 5th anniversary of massacreOn the fifth anniversary of the tragedy, a new monument will be unveiled at the high school on Thursday.
Santa Fe families push for passage of evidence bill
Read full article: Santa Fe families push for passage of evidence billFamily members of those killed and wounded during the mass shooting at Santa Fe High School continue fighting for the release of information about what exactly happened in May 2018. A proposed law would yield some of those answers, but a hearing on the bill was canceled at the last minute this week.
Competency of charged Santa Fe gunman sets-up legal showdown
Read full article: Competency of charged Santa Fe gunman sets-up legal showdownRecords from the state show it takes doctors at North Texas State Hospital an average of 229 days to restore a defendant’s competency and the average length of stay is 255 days. Pagourtzis has been in the hospital for 1,211 days.
Impact of judge’s order unclear in Santa Fe High School mass shooting case
Read full article: Impact of judge’s order unclear in Santa Fe High School mass shooting caseOn Friday, families of Santa Fe High School shooting victims crowded a Galveston County courtroom for the first public hearing in this case in more than two years.
Judge appoints independent party to do competency evaluation in Santa Fe mass shooting case
Read full article: Judge appoints independent party to do competency evaluation in Santa Fe mass shooting caseAt a hearing Friday in the Santa Fe mass shooting case, a judge appointed an independent party to do a full competency evaluation on Dimitrios Pagourtzis, the charged Santa Fe High School gunman.
Survivors, family members of victims from Santa Fe High School massacre win lawsuit against online seller who provided 17-year-old shooter with ammunition
Read full article: Survivors, family members of victims from Santa Fe High School massacre win lawsuit against online seller who provided 17-year-old shooter with ammunitionAn online ammunition seller has reportedly reached an agreement with the survivors of the Santa Fe High School shooting and several family members of the deceased victims.
Santa Fe ISD board votes against plan to build memorial on school grounds to honor victims
Read full article: Santa Fe ISD board votes against plan to build memorial on school grounds to honor victimsThe massacre that happened on the Santa Fe High School campus back in 2018 is still painful for many people in the community to think about.
El Paso lawmaker aids Uvalde shooting investigation three years after massacre in his city
Read full article: El Paso lawmaker aids Uvalde shooting investigation three years after massacre in his cityState Rep. Joe Moody rushed to the site of a mass shooting in his city in 2019, then warned House colleagues that it would happen again as they passed a permitless carry bill. Now he’s at the center of the investigation into the Uvalde massacre.
She survived the Santa Fe shooting, then visited Uvalde to comfort the newest members of a growing circle linked by tragedy
Read full article: She survived the Santa Fe shooting, then visited Uvalde to comfort the newest members of a growing circle linked by tragedyWounded in the Santa Fe High School shooting, Flo Rice has found an online community of mass shooting survivors who help each other cope and heal. Uvalde residents are starting to join them.
Texas has some safety requirements for public schools — but leaves most of the particulars up to education officials
Read full article: Texas has some safety requirements for public schools — but leaves most of the particulars up to education officialsTexas requires schools to have emergency plans and conduct safety drills. But a lot of decisions about safety are left to school districts and charter schools.
Confronted with mass shootings, Texas Republicans have repeatedly loosened gun laws
Read full article: Confronted with mass shootings, Texas Republicans have repeatedly loosened gun lawsGov. Greg Abbott and other Republican leaders signaled an openness to some gun restrictions after recent mass shootings. But in the last several years, lawmakers have eased gun laws, most notably by passing a permitless carry bill last year.
Santa Fe High School shooting 4 years later: Events planned to mark anniversary of massacre
Read full article: Santa Fe High School shooting 4 years later: Events planned to mark anniversary of massacreWednesday, March 18, marks the fourth anniversary of the Sante Fe High School shooting where 10 people were killed and 13 others were wounded by a lone gunman in 2018.
Faulty pizza oven causes gas leak scare, short evacuation at Santa Fe High, SFISD says
Read full article: Faulty pizza oven causes gas leak scare, short evacuation at Santa Fe High, SFISD saysSanta Fe High School was evacuated Wednesday due to a natural gas odor in the cafeteria kitchen, according to Santa Fe ISD.
Nearly 4 years later, families still waiting for accused Santa Fe gunman Dimitrios Pagortzis to face trial
Read full article: Nearly 4 years later, families still waiting for accused Santa Fe gunman Dimitrios Pagortzis to face trialNearly four years after a Santa Fe High School student was accused of murdering eight classmates, two teachers, and wounding more than a dozen others, no trial date has been set in the case.
KPRC 2 Senior Scholarship: Meet Jaivyance Gillard the senior with a desire to explore the mind and how various elements can influence behavior
Read full article: KPRC 2 Senior Scholarship: Meet Jaivyance Gillard the senior with a desire to explore the mind and how various elements can influence behaviorKPRC 2 and Texas Mattress Makers are surprising 20 deserving high school seniors with scholarships. All students selected for scholarships have been nominated by their high schools. This academic year was particularly challenging because of the pandemic, but these students still rose above and beyond in school. The eighth $2,500 Senior Scholarship was awarded to Jaivyance Gillard from Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe ISD. See photos of Jaivyance and other 2021 winners below:Ad
2020 VYPE Class 5A Volleyball Preseason Top 10 Rankings
Read full article: 2020 VYPE Class 5A Volleyball Preseason Top 10 RankingsWelcome to the 2020 volleyball season. No club tournaments to travel to, limited training available but what that means is everyone should be fresh for the 2020 campaign. Below are the Top 10 for Class 5A heading into the 2020 season. 1 Fulshear ChargersNo. 1 Fulshear ChargersNo.
2020 Santa Fe Volleyball Preview
Read full article: 2020 Santa Fe Volleyball PreviewWelcome to the 2020 volleyball season. VYPE previewed 30 public school teams in this year's VYPE Houston Volleyball Preview. Here is one of the Sleepers - the Santa Fe Indians. Santa Fe IndiansFor the past three years, Santa Fe has made it to at least the Regional Quarterfinals. Last year, Santa Fe with 33-15 but will have to replace District 22-5A MVP Kassidy Taves.
Santa Fe ISD teacher surprises students with special goodbye gift
Read full article: Santa Fe ISD teacher surprises students with special goodbye giftSANTA FE, Texas Its time to wrap up our Cool Schools season brought to you by Go Public Gulf Coast. Today were highlighting Santa Fe ISD teachers and staff for going above and beyond to send off the Class of 2020Santa Fe High School teacher Ms. Nikaran surprises her students with a goodbye gift. (KPRC)Ms. Nikaran, a teacher at Santa Fe High School, surprised her students by delivering gifts to each of them in person. Santa Fe High School also hosted a drive-thru event where graduating seniors were able to pick up a cap and gown. #publicschoolsprovide Posted by Santa Fe ISD - Official Site on Thursday, May 28, 2020To learn more about Houston-area public school districts, click here.
Sen. Cruz honors Santa Fe High School shooting victims in Congress
Read full article: Sen. Cruz honors Santa Fe High School shooting victims in CongressHOUSTON – Sen. Ted Cruz honored the Santa Fe High School shooting victims on the floor of the Senate this week and re-introduced two bills to make schools safer. Santa Fe High School is about 45 minutes from my house. I hosted Santa Fe students here in the Senate dining room. “It was a crucial first step in federal funding to help the Santa Fe High School community recover and protect all its students. “The last year has been an extremely difficult year for the Santa Fe families and for the community.
In wake of tragedy, Santa Fe HS football team prepares for 1st playoff appearance in nearly 10 years
Read full article: In wake of tragedy, Santa Fe HS football team prepares for 1st playoff appearance in nearly 10 yearsFORT BEND COUNTY, Texas – It's been nearly a decade since Santa Fe High School made it to the playoffs and it has been a bittersweet year for the players and their classmates. Both were football players who died during the school shooting in May. The team has had the support of the entire Santa Fe community, which continues to rally behind it every game. It's like high school football used to be back in the '70s and '80s," Santa Fe High School football coach Mark Kanipes said. "Every game more and more people are showing up and being proud that we are their football team, so that's nice," Santa Fe linebacker Colton Scott said.
Justin Timberlake visits Santa Fe High School shooting victims at hospital
Read full article: Justin Timberlake visits Santa Fe High School shooting victims at hospitalCLEAR LAKE, Texas – Pop star Justin Timberlake took time to visit some of the Santa Fe High School students who are recovering from last week's shooting. WATCH: Justin Timberlake visits Santa Fe shooting victims at hospitalA video from a Channel 2 viewer shows Timberlake leaving Clear Lake Regional Medical Center. Student Sarah Salazar, who was injured in the shooting, was smiling ear-to-ear in a photo with Timberlake. Salazar was severely injured after being shot in the several times from her neck down to her thigh, according to Salazar's aunt Norma Irlas said. The recovering students have also been visited by Texans superstar J.J. Watt.
Santa Fe HS seniors given free Rockets Game 5 tickets by Tilman Fertitta
Read full article: Santa Fe HS seniors given free Rockets Game 5 tickets by Tilman FertittaHOUSTON – Seniors at Santa Fe High School have been offered free tickets to Thursday night's Game 5 Western Conference Finals by Houston Rockets owner and Galveston County native Tilman Fertitta. WATCH: Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta on offering Game 5 tickets to Santa Fe HS seniors"I have roots in Galveston County. I played on that football field before in Santa Fe," Fertitta said. "We just wanted to step up and I talked to Tad (Brown) and said, 'Hey, we need to find 300 tickets for the Santa Fe High School seniors on Thursday.'" Tribute on court and team will wear a Santa Fe HS ribbon #SantaFeStrong @KPRC2 — Randy McIlvoy (@KPRC2RandyMc) May 22, 2018The team also said that it's 50/50 Raffle & First Shot for Charity will benefit the Santa Fe Strong Memorial Fund.
Santa Fe school shooting renews debate over gun control
Read full article: Santa Fe school shooting renews debate over gun controlHOUSTON – The debate over gun control has ramped up once again in Texas following the mass shooting at Santa Fe High School. He said Democrats see the Santa Fe tragedy as a call for gun control. Florida lawmakers defied the NRA and passed a gun control package after lobbying by student survivors of the attack. In the Santa Fe High School shooting, restrictions on bump stocks, assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and more strident background checks would not have affected suspect Dimitrios Pagourtzis' ability to obtain weapons. And there has been no groundswell of support for gun law reform from students, with some Santa Fe students openly rejecting gun control as a method of preventing further incidents.
How to identify grief, PTSD in children
Read full article: How to identify grief, PTSD in childrenSigns of depression include crying, sleep issues (lack of sleep or excessive sleep) and a decreased appetite. AcceptanceIn this final stage of grief, your loved one will begin to accept the reality of their loss. Rheeda Walker, associate professor of clinical psychology at the University of Houston said not to rush grief. "In the short-term, grief can feel like insurmountable sadness, emptiness and loss. “Nightmares, not sleeping, not eating, having a hard time concentrating,” she listed as signs of PTSD.
Santa Fe HS substitute teacher Cynthia Tisdale killed in shooting, family says
Read full article: Santa Fe HS substitute teacher Cynthia Tisdale killed in shooting, family saysSANTA FE, Texas – Cynthia Tisdale, a substitute teacher at Santa Fe High School was killed Friday in the shooting at the school, according to her family. Leia Olinde said Tisdale, her aunt was like a mother to her and helped her shop for wedding dresses last year. "I've never met a woman who loved her family so much." Tisdale's house was the center of family gatherings and she loved cooking Thanksgiving dinner and decorating her house, Olinde said. Olinde's fiance, Eric Sanders, said of Tisdale that "words don't explain her lust for life and the joy she got from helping people."