A judge has denied a motion to include Santa Fe Independent School District (SFISD) in the ongoing civil lawsuit related to the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting, a decision that shifts the focus solely onto the parents of the accused shooter. The ruling marks a significant setback for the defense, as they had argued that the school district should bear some responsibility for the tragedy.
GALVESTON, Texas — Defense attorneys' motion to include the Santa Fe Independent School District (SFISD) in the civil litigation that originated from the 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High School was denied by a judge in a critical decision. The defense team argued that the school district should be held partially culpable for the tragedy, and the decision was made on Wednesday.
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The litigation, which has been ongoing since 2019, was initiated by the families of the victims against the parents of the accused shooter, Dimitrios Pagourtzis. Defense attorneys filed a motion on Friday to include SFISD as a defendant in a final effort, contending that the school district neglected to provide students with sufficient mental health support and security measures.
The motion was rejected by Judge Jack Ewing of Galveston County Court No. 3, who argued that it was filed too late and that the defendants had not subpoenaed school records until five years after the incident. "The court finds that the motion to designate Santa Fe ISD as a responsible third party is untimely and that the defendants have not shown good cause for the late filing," Judge Ewing stated in his written decision.
The defense contended that the shooter's capacity to execute the attack, which resulted in the deaths of 10 individuals and the injury of 13 others, was facilitated by the school district's purported negligence. They alleged that SFISD neglected to address the mental health concerns of the accused shooter, who was a student at the time and failed to implement appropriate security protocols.
Clint McGuire, the attorney who represented the families who filed the civil lawsuit, opposed the motion, contending that it was a final attempt to divert responsibility from the parents of the accused shooter. "The defendants had ample time to conduct discovery and designate responsible third parties," McGuire added. "This motion is nothing more than a transparent attempt to avoid responsibility for their failures as parents."
The ruling is a substantial setback for the defense team, as it eliminates a potential method of transferring liability from the parents of the accused assassin. The original defendants, Antonios Pagourtzis and Rose Marie Kosmetatos, the parents of Dimitrios Pagourtzis, will now be the focus of the civil lawsuit seeking unspecified damages.
The murder at Santa Fe High School on May 18, 2018, elicited a national conversation regarding gun violence and school safety, causing a profound impact on the community. Although the tragedy resulted in heightened security measures and mental health initiatives in schools throughout Texas, there is still a debate as to whether sufficient efforts have been made to prevent other incidents like these again.
The families of the victims continue to pursue justice and closure as the civil lawsuit progresses. In contrast, the community continues to contend with the tragedy's repercussions.
A significant development in a case closely monitored by the nation is the judge's decision to deny the petition to add SFISD to the lawsuit.
