Psychiatrist testifies about the mental state of accused shooter Dimitrios Pagourtzis after the mass shooting

HOUSTON, Texas – The civil trial against the parents of Dimitrios Pagourtzis, who is accused of the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting, has entered its 13th day.

So far, we have heard testimony from several families of the ten people who were killed, including those injured when Dimitrios allegedly entered Santa Fe High School and opened fire in 2018.

The parents and relatives of the ten dead are now demanding that Dimitrios' parents also be held accountable for the shooting.

KPRC 2 has been covering the trial since day one and brings you comprehensive details from the courtroom.

10:13 a.m. – The trial resumes. The jury is called in and Dr. Bradley Peterson's testimony begins via Zoom

Dr. Bradley Peterson, a psychiatrist and pediatric expert, testified via Zoom. He was hired by the defense in the criminal case to assess Dimitrios' mental state at the time of the shooting and his competency to stand trial. Dr. Peterson said he first met Dimitrios in April 2019 and conducted three extensive interviews with Dimitrios, as well as additional interviews with his family and friends.

Dr. Peterson testified that DP was severely psychotic, suffering from significant delusions and a thought disorder that made it difficult for him to distinguish between reality and fantasy. Peterson said Dimitrios had delusions about a demigod named Natasha and the CIA's MK-Ultra program, which led to paranoia and anxiety. Dr. Peterson diagnosed Dimitrios with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, and other conditions including Tourette syndrome, social anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder. He stated that Dimitrios' mental disorders directly influenced his planning and execution of the school shooting, driven by his delusions and fear of retribution from Natasha and the CIA.

Dr. Peterson also noted that Dimitrios' family was unaware of the severity of his condition, as his symptoms could be mistaken for normal behavior rather than signs of a serious mental disorder. The defense argues that Dimitrios' psychosis and delusions were central to his actions, while the plaintiffs claim that his parents missed clear signs of mental illness.

9:50 a.m. – Break

9:47 a.m. – Judge decides

The judge decided to limit Peterson's testimony to the mental illness he saw during the interview with Dimitrios. Peterson will not be able to offer his opinion on what the parents or school should or should not have known, but he can discuss these topics in a general sense. For example, “Is it common for early signs and symptoms of mental illness to be missed?”

9:29 a.m. – The judge returns to the bench and gives both sides a chance to present their position on Dr. Peterson's testimony.

The plaintiffs argued that psychiatry is a “soft science,” meaning that results and opinions are based on subjective tests and observations.

The defense argues that he interviewed Dimitrios and his family and that his opinions were based on scientific evidence and his many years of experience.

9:17 a.m. – Dr. Bradley Peterson, the doctor who interviewed Dimitrios Pagourtzis and his family after the fatal shooting in 2019

The trial has not yet begun, but Dr. Bradley Peterson is expected to testify soon. Dr. Peterson is the psychiatrist who interviewed Dimitrios and his family in 2019 and wrote the report that has been central to the case over the past week and a half.

The plaintiffs have filed a motion to restrict Dr. Peterson's testimony. They argue that he should not be allowed to tell the jury his opinion about what the family should or should not have known to prevent the mass shooting. They also ask the judge to prevent Dr. Peterson from expressing his belief that Dimitrios' statements and writings before the shooting were unreliable due to delusions.

The defense claims that Dr. Peterson's opinions are based on his professional experience and training as a psychiatrist and are contained in the report discussed during his testimony. This issue is directly related to the plaintiffs' main argument: that Dimitrios showed clear signs of mental illness that his parents either missed or ignored, so they were negligent in not getting him help and failing to properly secure the guns in the house. The defense argues, in contrast, that Dimitrios concealed his mental state and that the parents took reasonable steps to secure the guns because Dimitrios was 17 years old and Texas safe storage laws only apply to minors under 16.

The judge will probably have to decide on this before the trial resumes, since Dr. Peterson is scheduled to testify first today.

Stay up to date on the Santa Fe process:

The trial in Santa Fe will likely extend beyond the originally scheduled three weeks, according to the judge

The mother of suspected Santa Fe shooter Dimitrios Pagourtzis describes the day of the shooting: “I'm trying to understand when I lost my son.”

Parents of suspected Santa Fe High School shooter want to include school district in civil lawsuit

Trial in Santa Fe: Younger sister of accused shooter Dimitrios Pagourtzis testifies

Trial in Santa Fe: Dimitrios Pagourtzis' father says he knew nothing about his son's bomb-making and online behavior before the shooting

“Hey, I got shot”: Survivor of Santa Fe shooting recalls harrowing phone call with his mother after shooting

Day 8 of Santa Fe High School shooting trial: Survivor Chase Yarbrough testifies and says his life has “completely changed”

DAY 7: Mother of youngest victim and other parents testify in civil trial of Santa Fe High School mass murder

Opening statements in the Santa Fe High School shooting trial conclude