Texas School Shooting Victim Rejected Gunman's Advances, Mom Says

SANTA FE, TX — The accused Texas school shooter shouted things like "surprise" and "woo hoo" as he killed 10 people at Santa Fe High School and injured another 13, according to multiple reports. The shooter also reportedly targeted students, including one girl who had rejected his advances for months, according to her mother.

The accused shooter, who authorities identified as Dimitrios Pagourtzis, 17, is being held at the Galveston County Jail. He is charged with capital murder of multiple persons and aggravated assault against a public servant.

According to accounts from students and parents, the shooter first targeted an art class.

In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, a 15-year-old student, Abel San Miguel, said he hid in the art class storage closet and the shooter began to shoot through the door. At least one student was killed and Miguel's back was grazed. When the shooter left the room, the students tried barricading the door but the shooter pushed through and yelled "surprise" before shooting a student he knew in the chest, Miguel recounted to the LA Times.

Deedra Van Ness, the mother of another student wrote in a Facebook post that her daughter could hear the gunman in the classroom next door yelling "woo hoo!" and firing shots. Van Ness also wrote that as her daughter struggled to find somewhere to hide, she ran with others to the art class supply closet and as the students placed heavy items in front of the door, the shooter reportedly yelled "surprise M***** expletive" and shot into the closet, killing two students.

Another student in the art class, Breanna Quintanilla, told The Associated Press she heard someone say "If you all move, I'm going to shoot you all."

The mother of one of the victims told the paper that her daughter, Shana Fisher, had four months of problems with the boy. Sadie Rodriguez, told the LA Times Pagourtzis kept making advances on her daughter and she told him no. He began to get more aggressive and Fisher finally stood up to him and embarrassed him in front of the class, Rodriguez told the paper.

SEE ALSO:

• Texas School Shooting: Here Are The Victims
• Texas Gun Control Group: 'Saddened And Outraged'
• J.J. Watt Offers To Pay Funeral Expenses
• Santa Fe Community Unites Amid Tragedy
• After Shooting, Gov. Greg Abbott Calls For Action
• Dimitrios Pagourtzis: 5 Things About Accused School Shooter
• 2 Shot, 1 Killed In Georgia Shooting Near High School: Reports

Authorities have not given a motive for the shooting but Pagourtzis reportedly admitted he carried out the shooting, The Associated Press reported. According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by the AP, Pagourtzis told authorities he avoided shooting students he liked so he could have his story told.

Pagourtzis' family has said they are "as shocked and confused as anyone else."

The guns used in the shooting were legally owned by Pagourtzis' father, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said at a Friday press conference. It was not known if the father knew his guns were taken. Abbott said that there were no warning signs of the attack from Pagourtzis. A "red-flag warning was non-existent or very imperceptible," he said.

The teen had no criminal history known to authorities. The only signs an attack was imminent was a photo on Pagourtzis' Facebook page of a T-shirt with the phrase "Born To Kill."

Pagourtzis' attorney, Nicholas Poehl, told the AP he was investigating whether Pagourtzis endured any "teacher-on-student" bullying. The school district refuted that claim.

"It has been brought to the District’s attention that several sources are falsely reporting claims about SFISD high school coaches and bully-like behaviors toward the student shooter," the school district said in a statement. "Administration looked into these claims and confirmed that these reports are untrue."

Officials have created a toll-free crisis hotline for the school community. Student, staff and faculty can call 1-800-595-0869 24 hours a day. Crisis intervention and other services are being offered for victims' families at Aldergate United Methodist Church between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Photo: Students, their parents, and school staff drive past a small memorial as they are shuttled by bus onto the campus at Santa Fe High School to retrieve their vehicles and other belongings on May 19, 2018 in Santa Fe, Texas. Yesterday morning, 17-year-old student Dimitrios Pagourtzis entered the school with a shotgun and a pistol and opened fire, killing 10 people. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images News/Getty Images