GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas — Opening statements began Wednesday in Galveston in the civil trial related to the Santa Fe High School shooting that happened in 2018.
Family members of the victims and some survivors are suing the parents of the alleged gunman. They're arguing that Dimitrios Pagourtzis' parents should have done more to prevent him from getting access to his father's weapons that were used in the shooting.
The parents can't be criminally charged over their son's access to weapons since he was 17 at the time and Texas law only applies to children under 17.
In January, Pagourtzis, who's now 23, was again ruled incompetent to stand criminal trial and recommitted to a state hospital for another year. His attorneys argued that he was mentally ill and shouldn't be held accountable.
Eight students and two teachers were killed in the shooting. Thirteen others were wounded.
The lawsuit claims Antonios Pagourtzis and Rose Marie Kosmetatos knew their son was mentally ill and should have done more to prevent him from getting his hands on their weapons.
In court, photos were shown of the living room gun cabinet and attorneys said Dimitrios Pagourtzis took some of them. They also said Dimitrios Pagourtzis made homemade bombs that he left on display for authorities to find. They also said he bought ammo and other disturbing items online in the months before the shooting.
"Dimitrios, who is 17 and doesn't have a job, spent $1,722 or so in having items delivered to the front steps of their home. In addition to the ... ammunition coming to their home, 29 different shipments of items," attorney Clint McGuire said.
An attorney representing Dimitrios' parents argued that they tried to help their son but he hid his activities from them. They also said others were to blame, such as the ammunition company that shipped the bullets to the home and failed to identify the buyer was underage.