HOUSTON — Houston police Chief Art Acevedo is calling for gun reform, after 10 people were shot and killed and 10 more hurt in a shooting at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas.
The gunman was identified as Dimitrios Pagourtzis, a 17-year-old student at the school.
Pagourtzis was arraigned on capital murder and aggravated assault charges Friday.
In the post on his Facebook page, Acevedo said that he has hit “rock bottom” after this deadly shooting.
“Today I spent the day dealing with another mass shooting of children and a responding police officer who is clinging to life. I'm not ashamed to admit I've shed tears of sadness, pain and anger,” Acevedo posted. “I know some have strong feelings about gun rights but I want you to know I’ve hit rock bottom and I am not interested in your views as it pertains to this issue.”
School resource officer John Barnes was injured in Friday’s shooting. He remains in critical condition, the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) tweeted Saturday.
Patients condition update: Under 18 patient is in GOOD condition. The female patient in ICU is in SERIOUS condition. The male patient remains in CRITICAL condition.
— UTMB News (@utmbnews) May 19, 2018
According to CNN, Barnes is a former officer with the Houston Police Department.
Acevedo also called “shame” to those in power who are not speaking out against gun violence, in a post on Twitter.
Shame to all given the task to enact common sense statutes & policies & continue to fail our families & especially our children. And shame to all that fail to speak out, including law-enforcement leaders. We are in these positions to mark a difference. https://t.co/ApDIp8Se0S
— Chief Art Acevedo (@ArtAcevedo) May 19, 2018
Acevedo has been vocal about gun control in the past. According to CNN, Acevedo urged others to join him to change legislation after the deadly massacre in Las Vegas last year were 58 people were killed.
Acevedo is the first Hispanic to lead the department. Before that, he was chief of the Austin Police Department, according to the Houston police department website.
He was sworn in as Houston police chief in 2016.
Cox Media Group
