Attorney says parents of ex-student accused in Texas school shooting bear responsibility for attack

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) — The parents of a former Texas high school student accused of killing 10 people during a 2018 shooting on his campus bear responsibility for what happened because they failed to help their son amid a mental health crisis or to limit his access to the family’s guns, an attorney representing victims' families told jurors on Wednesday.

“This shooting was premeditated, it was predictable and it was preventable,” attorney Clint McGuire said during opening statements in the civil trial of a lawsuit seeking to hold Dimitrios Pagourtzis and his parents, Antonios Pagourtzis and Rose Marie Kosmetatos, financially liable for the shooting at Santa Fe High School in May 2018.

Lori Laird, an attorney for Pagourtzis’ parents, told jurors the couple is heartbroken by the shooting but their son’s mental illness is ultimately to blame for what happened.

“If there had been signs and symptoms, I guarantee you this mom … she would have immediately done something about that,” Laird said.

The lawsuit was filed by family members of seven of those killed and four of the 13 people wounded in the attack.

Pagourtzis was charged with capital murder for the shooting. He was a 17-year-old student when authorities said he killed eight students and two teachers at the school, located about 35 miles (55 kilometers) southeast of Houston.

The criminal case against the now-23-year-old remains on hold after he was declared incompetent to stand trial. He has been held at the North Texas State Hospital in Vernon since December 2019.

McGuire told jurors that Antonios Pagourtzis and Kosmetatos knew their son was suffering from depression, started getting bad grades and isolating himself, began taking weapons from their gun cabinet and safe, started making disturbing posts on Facebook and began ordering online ammunition and other items such as a knife with a Nazi symbol and a T-shirt that said, “Born To Kill.”

“In spite of the fact he was trying to give them signs, if they did not know he was depressed as they’re claiming, it’s because they failed in their job as parents,” said McGuire, who is representing the families of five students who were killed and two others who were injured. Kosmetatos, who sat at the defense table with her husband, cried as McGuire spoke to jurors.

Laird told jurors Kosmetatos and her husband were good parents who worked hard and tried to do the best for their children. She said Pagourtzis was a typical teenager who was unmotivated and didn’t want to do his schoolwork, but she insisted there were no red flag warnings, such as disciplinary or drug problems. She also said that his parents didn't know any of their weapons were missing or that he had hidden his online purchases of ammunition and other weapons.

“What needs to be clear to everyone is Dimitrios was suffering in silence. No one saw this,” Laird said.

Laird suggested that some of the blame also belongs with Lucky Gunner, a Tennessee-based online retailer that sold Dimitrios Pagourtzis more than 100 rounds of ammunition without verifying he was old enough to buy it. She also blamed the school for not alerting Pagourtzis' parents of online searches he had made on a campus computer related to school shootings, suicide and weapons.

Lucky Gunner was a defendant in the lawsuit until last year, when it reached a settlement with the families.

Roberto Torres, who is representing Dimitrios Pagourtzis in the lawsuit, told jurors that while his client did plan the shooting, he was never in control of his actions because of his severe mental illness.

The families are pursuing at least $1 million in damages, but the jury could award a higher amount.

After the trial ended for the day, family members of those killed and wounded in the shooting said the lawsuit wasn’t about money but about people being held accountable for actions that enabled the shooting.

Rosie Yanas-Stone, whose 17-year-old son Christopher Stone was killed, said she was upset by what she heard as excuses from Dimitrios Pagourtzis' parents.

“I’m sick and tired every time a school shooting happens, it’s always ‘thoughts and prayers’ and that don’t work no more,” Yanas-Stone said. “As long as we got people like these parents and everybody else saying, ‘Not my fault, not my fault.’ So whose fault is it?”

The trial could last up to three weeks.

Similar lawsuits have been filed following other mass shootings.

In 2022, a jury awarded over $200 million to the mother of one of four people killed in a shooting at a Waffle House in Nashville, Tennessee. The lawsuit had been filed against the shooter and his father, who was accused of returning a rifle to his son before the shooting despite the son’s mental health issues.

In April, Jennifer and James Crumbley were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison by a Michigan judge after becoming the first parents convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting.

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Galveston County Court No. 3 Judge Jack Ewing speaks with attorneys Lori Laird, left, and Clint McGuire before a recess in the civil trial against the parents of accused Santa Fe High School shooter Dimitrios Pagourtzis on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at the Galveston County Courthouse in Galveston, Texas. (Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News via AP, Pool)

Attorney Clint McGuire, representing several families of victims of the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting gives his opening statement in the civil trial against Antonios Pagourtzis and Rose Marie Kosmetatos, parents of accused school shooter Dimitrios Pagourtzis, on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Galveston County Court No. 3 Judge Jack Ewing's courtroom at the Galveston County Courthouse in Galveston, Texas. (Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News via AP, Pool)

Antonios Pagourtzis, left, and Rose Marie Kosmetatos, parents of accused school shooter Dimitrios Pagourtzis, await the start of the civil trial against them in Galveston County Court No. 3 Judge Jack Ewing's courtroom at the Galveston County Courthouse in Galveston, Texas on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News via AP, Pool)

Antonios Pagourtzis, left, and Rose Marie Kosmetatos, parents of accused school shooter Dimitrios Pagourtzis, await the start of the civil trial against them in Galveston County Court No. 3 Judge Jack Ewing's courtroom at the Galveston County Courthouse in Galveston, Texas on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News via AP, Pool)

FILE - Law enforcement officers respond to Santa Fe High School after an active shooter was reported on campus in Santa Fe, Texas, May 18, 2018. A lawsuit accusing the parents of a former Texas high school student of negligence for not securing weapons he allegedly used in a 2018 shooting at his campus that killed 10 people was set to go before a jury on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Steve Gonzales/Houston Chronicle via AP, File)

Photos of the victims of the Santa Fe High School shooting whose families filed a civil lawsuit against Antonios Pagourtzis and Rose Marie Kosmetatos, parents of Santa Fe High School shooter Dimitrios Pagourtzis, are shown during the opening statements of the civil trial in Galveston County Court No. 3 Judge Jack Ewing's courtroom at the Galveston County Courthouse in Galveston, Texas on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News via AP, Pool)

Rose Marie Kosmetatos looks up at a photo of her son, accused Santa Fe High School shooter Dimitrios Pagourtzis, as she and her husband, Antonios Pagourtzis, listen to opening statements in the civil trial against them in Galveston County Court No. 3 Judge Jack Ewing's courtroom at the Galveston County Courthouse in Galveston, Texas on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News via AP, Pool)

While the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar thrill supporters of Saudi clubs, Roberto Mancini is concerned that his national team players aren’t getting enough time in the league to prepare for World Cup qualifying.

Saudi Arabia was among the high-profile Asian teams that struggled in third-round openers last week in continental World Cup qualifying. The Saudis were held 1-1 by Indonesia, the lowest-ranked of the six-teams in Group C. Tuesday is a crucial match against China at Dalian for coach Mancini’s team.

“We have had problems capitalizing on opportunities, which have been evident in the last few games,” Mancini said.

With most clubs in the Saudi Pro League using their full quota of 10 foreign imports, Mancini, who left his job as head coach of Italy a year ago to join Saudi Arabia's national team, has complained that local players are not getting enough action.

“Saudi Arabia’s national team players must participate as core players with their clubs," Mancini said. “I have 20 players sitting on the bench in local matches.”

He said there needed to be greater cooperation between the national team and clubs.

Australia’s attempt to qualify for a sixth successive World Cup tournament was damaged by a shocking 1–0 loss to Bahrain at home.

“It’s a learning curve for the players. It wasn’t our night,” Socceroos coach Graham Arnold said. “You could see physically they were ready for us. These types of things happen in football, it’s how you get over it.”

Australia faces a relatively short trip to Jakarta to face a much-improved Indonesia squad that will be supported by 60,000 fans. “We are not afraid of anyone and we are looking forward to the challenge,” Indonesia coach Shin Tae-yong said.

The early pacesetters in Group C meet when Bahrain hosts Japan, which opened with a thumping 7-0 win over China.

The 18 teams in the third round of qualification have been divided into three groups of six. The top two from each automatically qualify for the World Cup. The teams that place third and fourth will advance to a fourth round to compete for two more places.

In Group B, South Korea also started with a disappointing result, a 0-0 draw with the Palestinian team in Seoul. Led by English Premier League stars Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan as well as Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in, South Korea travels to Muscat to face Oman, which lost 1-0 to Iraq.

Son suggested the poor pitch condition in Seoul was a reason for the result.

“We weren’t able to play at a high tempo and I am sure fans were disappointed with that,” Son said. “The fact that pitch conditions are better for away matches is a shame, but I also think it’s fortunate for us at the same time.”

The Palestinians will play Jordan in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as the team is unable to host games at home. Jordan had a 1-1 draw with Kuwait in its opening game a nd now faces Iraq, the only team in the group to win.

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South Korea's Son Heung-min, center, is tackled by Palestine's Michael Termanini during the Asian qualifier group B match for 2026 World Cup between South Korea and Palestine at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Japan's Takumi Minamino and China's Liu Yangyi compete for the ball during a World Cup and AFC Asian Qualifier between Japan and China at Saitama Stadium 2002 in Saitama, north of Tokyo, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.(AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Japan team celebrate after defeating China after a World Cup and AFC Asian Qualifier between Japan and China at Saitama Stadium 2002 in Saitama, north of Tokyo, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.(AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

South Korea's Son Heung-min reacts during the Asian qualifier group B match for 2026 World Cup between South Korea and Palestine at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Bahrain's Mahdi Abduljabbar Mahdi Darwish Hasan, front left, competes with Australia's Harry Souttar for a high ball during their World Cup 2026 qualifying match at the Gold Coast, Australia, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Dave Hunt/AAP Image via AP)

Japan's players celebrate Japan's fourth goal during a World Cup and AFC Asian Qualifier between Japan and China at Saitama Stadium 2002 in Saitama, north of Tokyo, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.(AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)