Santa Fe High School: Up to 10 dead in shooting

Santa Fe High School: Up to 10 dead in shooting

Between eight and 10 people have been killed in a shooting by a student at a Texas high school, say police.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez told reporters the majority of the dead at Santa Fe High School were students.

The suspect in custody has been identified as 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis, according to CBS News.

Police said that explosive devices had been found at the school, which is 40 miles (65km) south of Houston, and in surrounding areas.

The death toll makes this the deadliest school shooting since the one in February at Parkland, Florida. That attack left 17 dead and spawned a nationwide youth-led campaign for gun control.

Santa Fe Police Chief Jeff Powell said: "There have been explosive devices found inside the high school, and in the surrounding areas adjacent to the high school."

He advised residents to be aware of any suspicious objects they find.

"Do not touch any items that look out of place," he said, warning residents to immediately call police.

He said a Santa Fe school police officer was among the injured.

Image copyrightTWITTER/ @HCSOTEXASImage captionThe high school is about 40 miles south of Houston

Two hospitals south of Houston said they had received nine patients from the school shooting.

Clear Lake Regional Medical Center said it admitted seven, and Mainland Medical Center received two.

Several students described hearing a fire alarm go off shortly before 08:00 local time. It is not clear how the alarm was activated.

Media captionTrump: 'This has been going on for too long'

One witness told KTRK-TV the shooting happened in her art class, and that one person shot was a girl.

"There was someone that walked in with a shotgun and started shooting," the student said, "and this girl got shot in the leg."

She said that she did not get a look at the shooter, because she ran to hide.

Police have yet to confirm what type of firearm was used in the attack.

One 10th grader told networks she had an asthma attack while hiding in the woods.

News helicopters filmed students emptying their backpacks in front of armed officers in a field outside the school.

BBC