Jury finds parents of school gunman not liable for teen’s actions, but ammunition maker partially is

A jury concluded that parents of a 17-year-old gunman are not financially liable for the teen’s killing of eight students and two teachers in 2018, in Santa Fe, Texas, which is north of Galveston. 

The gunman, Dimitrios Pagourtzis, was deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial in criminal court, The New York Times reports, and remains in a state mental hospital. His parents weren’t accused of any crime, but they were sued for negligence in storing more than a dozen firearms in their home, two of which were used in the shooting, and failing to take steps to help their troubled son. 

Antonios Pagourtzis and Rose Marie Kosmetatos, were not accused of any crime.

After a day of deliberations, the jury found that most of the responsibility lie with the gunman, but the company that sold Dimitrios Pagourtzis ammunition also held a small part of the blame. He was legally barred from buying ammunition. 

The company, Luckygunner, reached a settlement with the plaintiffs prior to the trial.