On Wednesday, a jury was set to hear a lawsuit alleging negligence on the part of the parents of a former Texas high school student. The lawsuit claims that the parents failed to secure weapons that were allegedly used by their son in a 2018 shooting at his school, which resulted in the deaths of 10 individuals. The trial is taking place in Galveston, Texas.
The Galveston, Texas civil trial is set to begin with opening statements regarding the lawsuit brought by the family members of seven victims who were killed and four of the 13 individuals who were injured during the tragic attack at Santa Fe High School in May of 2018.
Charged with capital murder for the shooting, Dimitrios Pagourtzis was a 17-year-old student when he allegedly took the lives of eight students and two teachers at the school situated approximately 35 miles (55 kilometers) southeast of Houston.
Since December 2019, the North Texas State Hospital in Vernon has been the residence of the 23-year-old who has been deemed unfit to stand trial for his criminal charges, causing a halt in the legal proceedings.
The lawsuit aims to hold Pagourtzis and his parents, Antonios Pagourtzis and Rose Marie Kosmetatos, accountable for the shooting by seeking financial liability. The families are seeking damages of at least $1 million.
According to the lawsuit, Pagourtzis’ parents were aware of their son’s potential to harm himself or others. The legal action claims that Pagourtzis had displayed signs of emotional distress and violent fantasies, yet his parents neglected to seek help or take measures to secure the firearms stored in their home, which he allegedly used during the shooting.
Clint McGuire, the attorney who is representing the families of five students killed and two others injured, expressed his anticipation in obtaining justice for the victims of this senseless tragedy.
An email seeking comment was sent to Lori Laird, who is the attorney for Pagourtzis’ parents, but there has been no immediate response.
Roberto Torres, who is representing Pagourtzis in the lawsuit, has denied the allegations against his client in a court filing. Torres stated that Pagourtzis had a mental impairment or illness that prevented him from having a reasonable degree of rational understanding of or control over his actions.
It’s possible that the trial may extend for a duration of three weeks.
Relatives of the deceased and injured have embraced the commencement of the civil trial, as they have been feeling frustrated about the delay in Pagourtzis’ criminal trial. The prolonged wait has deprived them of the much-needed closure.
Tennessee’s online retailer, Lucky Gunner, was accused of unlawfully selling ammunition to Pagourtzis, the perpetrator of the mass shooting. In the lawsuit filed against them, Lucky Gunner was one of the defendants. However, in 2023, the families reached a settlement with the retailer. The lawsuit alleged that the retailer did not verify Pagourtzis’ age when he purchased over 100 rounds of ammunition on two separate occasions before the shooting occurred.
Several lawsuits resembling this one have been filed in the aftermath of a mass shooting.
A Waffle House shooting in Nashville, Tennessee resulted in the loss of four lives. The mother of one of the victims was awarded more than $200 million by a jury in 2022. The lawsuit was filed against the shooter and his father, who allegedly returned the rifle to his son despite his known mental health problems, leading to the tragic incident.
A Michigan judge sentenced Jennifer and James Crumbley to a minimum of 10 years in prison in April, marking the first time parents have been convicted in a mass school shooting in the United States.
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