[9] Witnesses said the two targeted classrooms are connected by a ceramics room that the shooter accessed by damaging a door window.
One wounded victim told reporters the shooter walked into the classroom and pointed his firearm at another person, singing "Another One Bites the Dust" in between shots.
[14] After the gunman shot into the ceramics room, he was engaged by another school officer and a Texas Highway Patrol trooper who attempted to have him surrender peacefully.
[16] The Galveston County Sheriff said officers confronted him within four minutes and allowed for the safe evacuation of other students and faculty.
[20] According to the probable cause affidavit and complaint filed by law enforcement, the shooter used a short-barreled 12-gauge Remington Model 870 pump-action shotgun and a Rossi .38-caliber snub-nosed revolver.
[22] Various types of explosive devices were found at the school and off campus, as well as a Molotov cocktail,[4][23] and residents in the surrounding area were warned to be aware of all suspicious objects.
[10][25][19] He is charged with capital murder of multiple people and aggravated assault against a public servant, and has been held in custody without bail.
"[35][36] Classmates recounted how at a water park the day before the shooting Pagourtzis did not show any signs of his plans, and seemed friendly and funny.
[37] Pagourtzis was booked into the Galveston County Jail on two felony charges — capital murder of multiple people and aggravated assault against a police officer.
The defense team for Pagourtzis filed a change of venue request to move the trial out of Galveston County due to the publicity of the case.
[51] Under Texas law, firearms cannot be made accessible to minors outside hunting purposes or parental supervision, and the penalty can be up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine if the weapon causes serious injury or death.
Both families are also alleging that Pagourtzis's parents failed to obtain mental health counseling and support and to warn the public of his "dangerous propensities".
[61] Local funeral homes, florists, and pastors offered heavily discounted or free rates for families of the deceased.
[65] In July 2019 it emerged that David Briscoe, who had told reporters that he was a substitute at the school the day of the shooting, had lied about his actions.
After the shooting, many sources including Time, CNN, and The Wall Street Journal ran stories about how Briscoe protected his students until first responders came.
In April 2019, he did a follow-up interview with The Texas Tribune in which his claims included him moving to Florida, as he was haunted by the shooting.
[67] The residents of Santa Fe largely declined media attention and also did not support political gun control actions.
[69] A new protection plan was unveiled for the 2018–2019 school year, with metal detectors at each entrance and police officers patrolling the campus with donated AR-15s equipped with rifle optics.
[70] John Barnes, a police officer wounded in the shooting rampage, was hailed as a hero for tackling the shooter and saving many lives despite blood loss.
[73] While speaking to reporters, Pagourtzis's father, an immigrant from Greece, claimed that his son's history of being bullied was the reason for the shooting.
[57] U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his condolences in a press conference shortly following the shootings, and said his "administration is determined to do everything in [its] power to protect our students".
"[77] He also said that the shooter wanted to commit suicide later in the incident and called for all Texans to hold a moment of silence on May 21 at 10:00 AM CDT in honor of the victims, their families and first responders.