'Deeply personal' Sheriff, residents open up about tragedy that rocked Santa Fe community

SANTA FE, Texas (KTRK) -- While authorities continue trying to figure out the next steps, new details about the Santa Fe shooting have emerged, including what happened during the four minutes between the first shot fired and the suspect's arrest.

Silence hangs over 10 white crosses outside Santa Fe High School, where all day long people left mementos and prayed.

"It doesn't feel real and it is overwhelming and it's really hard to see all these people whose lives were cut short," said Santa Fe resident Sophia Walter.

In a news conference earlier at the district's board room, a sobering update was released about school resource officer John Barnes, who first engaged the accused gunman and was shot. Authorities say Barnes has up and down days, today being sadly a 'down,' residents continue praying for his recovery.

According to Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset, Barnes and another officer prevented more bloodshed by confronting the 17-year-old suspect within four minutes.

That confrontation gave other officers the time and safety to evacuate students until the suspect's arrest, 25 minutes later.

In that time, two teachers and eight students were killed.

A current investigation is fluid, but in the small community of Santa Fe, it is something deeply personal for Sherriff Trochessett, whose granddaughter was just three classrooms away from the shooting.

His granddaughter would later learn her best friend, Angelique Ramirez, was among those confirmed dead.

"Her best friend who spent the night at my house, swam in my pool is dead from this tragedy. Did it hit home? It did," said Sheriff Trochessett.

Officials have announced that teachers will be returning to school on Wednesday, and students will return next Tuesday, May 29.

SANTA FE STRONG: Remembering the victims of the Santa Fe High School shooting