SANTA FE, Texas – Sunday marked seven years since a mass shooting on Santa Fe High School’s campus left eight students and two teachers dead. Nearly two dozen others were injured.
For the past four years, the “unfillable chair” has been a piece of remembrance honoring the ten lives lost in the shooting. But now, a permanent memorial in the area of the chair is one step closer to completion.
Last Friday, the Santa Fe Memorial Foundation announced that the Trevino Group was hired as the contractor on the project.
Jeff Ryall, the director of preconstruction at the Trevino Group, said the project will be about one acre in size, or the size of about one football field.
Renderings show there will be 10 individual feathers, one for each life lost on May 18, 2018.
KPRC 2 caught up with Rosie Stone as she was on her way to Austin to pick up a proclamation for her son, Chris Stone.
Her 17-year-old son lost his life during the shooting.
“You don’t really move past May the 18th,” said Stone. “Every day is a new day; every day is a new emotion.”
Stone said she is excited for the construction of the memorial. However, in the last seven years, she said families are still awaiting justice.
The shooter, Dimitrios Pagourtzis, has not been deemed competent for trial and has been at the North Texas State Hospital’s Vernon campus for 1,995 days.
“It’s a disgrace, “said Stone. ”It’s inhumane to us families that have to live it.”
SEE ALSO: Charged Santa Fe High gunman still incompetent, recommitted to hospital
Last April, former U.S. secret service agent and the vice chairman for the National Council for School Safety Directors Mike Matranga requested the Department of Justice for an independent investigation into the police response and the actions of those responsible for keeping the school safe.
The DOJ responded back erroneously mentioning the Columbine shooting.
Since then, a number of lawmakers, including Senator Ted Cruz, have called on the DOJ to investigate the Santa Fe shooting, but Matranga said he is still waiting for a response.
“What we decided is that we would write a petition to the Department of Justice seeking an after action, not into the motives of the shooter,” said Matranga. “I don’t think that will be the case until after the case has gone to trial."
Last October, the Santa Fe Independent School District Board voted unanimously to request an outside review of district safety policies and procedures.
School district officials have previously denied there were any missteps in how the district responded on the day of the shooting.
“These victims deserve justice, and they deserve answers," said Matranga.
Stone said her son was the glue to their family and is still holding on to hope.
“I don’t want to ever believe that my son died in vain,” said Stone. “I don’t ever want to believe that nobody would be held accountable."
The memorial is expected to be completed by the eight-year anniversary of the shooting.
Megan Grove, the president of the Santa Fe Ten Memorial Foundation, said the timeline of the project is contingent on funding.
The project is estimated to cost about $2.8 million. Currently, Texas lawmakers are considering a $2.5 million grant for the project. Grove wants to raise $200,000 in donations for maintenance of the memorial by Sept. 1.
The design was conceived by students at the University of Houston’s College of Architecture and Design.
The Trevino Group said it is funding 100 percent of the design fees for this project.
The SFISD Board of Trustees provided KPRC 2 with the following statement:
The Santa Fe ISD Board of Trustees looks forward to the completion of fundraising efforts, led by the Santa Fe Ten Memorial Foundation, and to moving from the design phase to the construction and completion of the memorial.
The memorial will serve as a place for families and the community to honor the ten lives lost, while also offering walking trails and a peaceful space for reflection. It stands as a tribute to those affected by the events of May 18, 2018.
As a district, we also look forward to providing our students with outdoor classroom spaces—creating opportunities to learn, reflect, and connect in a meaningful environment.
