Mother of Santa Fe shooting survivor says her child hid in closet during chaos

Pooja Lodhia Image
Monday, May 21, 2018
Santa Fe HS student recall the moments of the mass shooting
Santa Fe HS student recall the moments of the mass shooting

SANTA FE, Texas (KTRK) -- Santa Fe High School student Suzannah Salazar spoke with Eyewitness News Monday afternoon, and recalled the chilling moments during Friday's campus shooting.

Video captured by Salazar showed students running for their lives once they realized an active shooter had taken over their campus.

"The pops went off, four back to back. Everyone ran to the back of the school, and I ran with them,' Salazar said.

When she finally looked back, Salazar says she saw police arresting her fellow classmate Dimitrios Pagourtzis.

In the midst of capturing video, Salazar thought about her younger sister.

"I broke down because I knew she was in that classroom. I started calling her and texting," Salazr said.

Sarah Salazar, 16, was shot during the shooting and is still in the ICU recovering.

"She's going to need a shoulder replacement," said her mother, Sonia Lopez. "Her jaw is broken, shattered on one side, and one of her major veins was severed. She's got some broken ribs."

Sarah is still unable to breathe on her own, and many witnesses told Lopez that they thought the teen didn't make it.

"She was in the closet, and he shot through the glass, and shot a boy and then shot her through the door," Lopez explained. "It was a shotgun so there were pellets everywhere."

Sarah is an honor roll student who aspires to become a doctor.

"She's humble, she's kind," Lopez said. "She didn't deserve this. None of these kids did."

The Salazar family started a GoFundMe for those who want to help.