Breaking News: Jury Deliberates in Civil Case Against Parents of Santa Fe High School Shooter

Galveston, Texas – Deliberations have commenced after closing arguments were presented Friday in the civil trial against the parents of the Santa Fe High School shooter, over six years after the tragic event claimed the lives of eight students and two teachers.

Survivors and families of the victims sued Antonios Pagourtzis and Rose Marie Kosmetatos, accusing them of negligence for failing to address their son's deteriorating mental state and inadequately securing their firearms. The parents testified that they saw no warning signs and had securely stored their guns.

The Galveston jury is tasked with determining whether the parents are liable for negligence in connection with the actions of their son, Dimitrios Pagourtzis, who, at 17, opened fire at the school in May 2018. The criminal trial for Dimitrios has been indefinitely delayed after a judge ruled him mentally incompetent.

The trial has drawn parallels to the case of James and Jennifer Crumbley, parents of the Michigan high school shooter Ethan Crumbley, who were convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to prison. The Galveston case featured emotional testimonies from both victims' families and the shooter's relatives.

During closing arguments, plaintiffs’ lawyer Clint McGuire emphasized the parents' awareness of their son’s mental health issues and their failure to act, while the defense argued that the blame lies solely with the shooter, not his parents.

The jury will resume deliberations on Monday at 9 a.m.