Texas high school shooting

By Brian Ries, Veronica Rocha and Meg Wagner, CNN

Updated 8:06 p.m. ET, May 18, 2018
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8:06 p.m. ET, May 18, 2018

Our live coverage has ended. Go here or scroll through the posts below to read more about the shooting at Santa Fe High School.

8:04 p.m. ET, May 18, 2018

Texas governor: "No community should ever have to go through this again"

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, speaking at a vigil tonight, assured residents that their voices will be heard.

Abbott will be holding public roundtables on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to seek input from Texans and "come up with answers to address the challenge that Santa Fe faced today," he said.

"We have one common goal: no child, no parent, no student, no community should ever have to go through this again," he said.
7:32 p.m. ET, May 18, 2018

Santa Fe schools will be closed on Monday and Tuesday

All schools in the Santa Fe Independent School District will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, the district said.

"The Santa Fe Independent School District is committed to ensuring that all of our students and staff receive the care and support they need during this tragic time," the district said in a statement.

The district said school counselors and other support resources will be available for students and staff.

"We know that our students and staff are going to need counseling to help them grieve," the district said. "They also are going to need an outlet to share their fears and concerns."

7:23 p.m. ET, May 18, 2018

Texas shooting suspect makes first court appearance

Texas shooting suspect Dimitrios Pagourtzis made his first court appearance this evening in Galveston, Texas.

Pagourtzis, who appeared on video, told the judge he is a citizen and requested a court-appointed attorney during the brief appearance.

He is being charged with capital murder and aggravated assault of a public servant, the judge said.

Pagourtzis, 17, did not enter a plea and his bond was denied.

7:10 p.m. ET, May 18, 2018

Houston mayor: School districts need metal detectors

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner called on school districts across Texas to considering installing metal detectors on campuses following today's shooting at Santa Fe High School.

“School districts across Texas should consider installing metal detectors in all campus buildings," he said in a statement.

Turner said the detectors would detect weapons and deter anyone who is considers bringing a weapon into school.

"As we care about protecting travelers and visitors to federal, state and locally owned buildings, we must also show the same sense of urgency, concern, and compassion toward children and adults in schools," he said.

"Schools must be made to be as safe as airports and government buildings.”
6:56 p.m. ET, May 18, 2018

Galveston County judge: "There were really no warning signs"

Investigators ran a criminal history check on the Texas shooting suspect and found no prior contacts with police, Galveston County Judge Mark Henry told CNN.

"What was briefed to the governor and myself was that there were really no warning signs," he told CNN. "They were so subtle that they would have been missed. We have not been able to ascertain any criminal history of the suspect so far or any outward overtures that would be concerning to anyone."

Henry said two explosive devices were found today, but "neither device was capable of detonating or discharging."

"They were two crude attempts to make an IED-looking device but not one that would function," he said.

Authorities, he said, are looking to question a person of interest. Henry said they did not "immediately see a direct connection between the person of interest and the suspect."

6:48 p.m. ET, May 18, 2018

Santa Fe High School will remain a crime scene "for some time," FBI says

Santa Fe High School and surrounding areas will remain a crime scene "for some time," as the investigation continues, the FBI's Houston field office tweeted this evening.

The FBI also asked people to "please avoid the area."

In a second tweet, the FBI said it was using several emergency response teams to comb through the scene.

6:22 p.m. ET, May 18, 2018

Sarah Sanders: The White House is having an ongoing conversation about "the best ways to protect kids"

From CNN's Betsy Klein

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders was asked this evening whether President Trump will revisit some gun control measures following the shooting in Santa Fe, Texas.

“I don’t have anything to announce on that front at this point but certainly, the conversation is ongoing about the best ways to protect kids across the country,” she said.

Sanders said the school safety commission was activated today and will have a meeting early next week. 

6:09 p.m. ET, May 18, 2018

Vice President Pence: "We have much more work to do" to stop school violence

From CNN's Steve Brusk and Alessia Grunberger

Vice President Mike Pence speaks in the East Room of the White House on May 18, 2018 in Washington, DC.
Vice President Mike Pence speaks in the East Room of the White House on May 18, 2018 in Washington, DC.

Vice President Pence vowed the Trump administration would not rest until schools were safe again.

Pence, speaking at a political event in Indiana today, said "it’s clear we have much more work to do" to stop school violence in the wake of the shooting at Santa Fe High School.

"I’ll make you a promise: we will not rest, we will not relent until we end this evil in our time and make our schools safe again," he said.

He said he spoke with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott earlier today.

As similar questions arose like in the wake of the Parkland shooting, Pence tried to play up actions the administration had taken.

In March, the US House of Representatives passed a bill to fund more security at schools.