Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick blames video games, advocates arming teachers after Santa Fe shooting

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is recognized during the Houston Police Officers Memorial, held in conjunction with National Police Week, on Friday, May 18, 2018, in Houston, TX. (Michael Wyke / For the Chronicle) Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is recognized during the Houston Police Officers Memorial, held in conjunction with National Police Week, on Friday, May 18, 2018, in Houston, TX. (Michael Wyke / For the Chronicle) Photo: Michael Wyke, For The Chronicle Photo: Michael Wyke, For The Chronicle Image 1 of / 54 Caption Close Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick blames video games, advocates arming teachers after Santa Fe shooting 1 / 54 Back to Gallery

First he blamed doors, then he blamed video games.

On Sunday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick went on ABC's "This Week" to advocate for arming teachers, condemn video games and decry a culture that has "devalued life."

"We cannot sit back and say it's the gun; it's us as a nation," he told host George Stephanopoulos. "But George, we take the guns out of society -- if you or anyone else thinks that that makes us safer, then -- then -- then I'm sad to say that you're mistaken."

Two days earlier, a gunman massacred 10 students and teachers at a Galveston County high school, allegedly exchanging gunfire during a police standoff before he was arrested.

Dimitrios Pagourtzis, a 17-year-old who some said was the target of school bullies, was charged with capital murder and aggravated assault on a public servant after the slayings at Santa Fe High School during first-period classes.

When investigators questioned him, the junior allegedly admitted to bringing in his father's revolver and shotgun and gunning down his peers, sparing the ones he liked so his story could be told.

The day of the mass shooting, Patrick told reporters the solution was redesigning campuses to limit access.

"We may have to look at the design of our schools moving forward and retrofit schools that are already built," he said. "And what I mean by that is there are too many entrances and too many exits to our over 8,000 campuses in Texas."

Then on Sunday, he appeared briefly on the ABC show to reiterate those comments and to target video games as well.

"We have devalued life, whether it's through abortion, whether it's the breakup of families, through violent movies, and particularly violent video games, which now outsell movies and music," he said, before citing statistics about the prevalence of gaming among teens.

Patrick also called out the alleged shooter's parents - who legally owned the weapons - for failing to secure the guns.

"We don't know all the facts yet, but this particular young man got his guns in some way from his parents' home," he said. "You should have your guns locked up. It's against the law in Texas to let any loaded gun get in the hands of a children, for example.

"But we need armed teachers who are trained to help repel these gun -- the killers who come onto our campuses."

After Patrick went off the air, the next speaker - the father of a girl killed in February in the Parkland school shooting in Florida - panned his comments.

"I think those are the most idiotic comments I've ever heard regarding gun safety," said Fred Guttenberg. "Let me be clear, he should be removed from office for his failure to want to protect the citizens of Texas."

Texas lawmakers plan to begin three days of discussions on school security and related issues on Tuesday.

Hours after Patrick's on-air appearance, Gov. Greg Abbott honored the victims by announcing a moment of silence scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday.

"The act of evil that occurred in Santa Fe has deeply touched the core of who we are as Texans," Abbott said in a statement. "In the midst of such tragedy, we pray for the victims and those mourning in Santa Fe, while we work to ensure swift and meaningful action to protect our students in schools across our state."