Emergency responders from multiple agencies work at the scene

Ten people were killed after a gunman believed to be a student opened fire at a high school in Santa Fe, Texas, in the latest spasm of gun violence in a country still shaken by the massacre at a Florida high school in February.

Authorities quickly named 17-year-old student Dimitrios Pagourtzis as their suspect. Later in the day he was charged with capital murder - for which he did not enter a plea - and was denied bond. He was being held in solitary confinement.

Scenes of grief and horror streamed out of the small community less than an hour's drive from Houston. Stunned and weeping teenagers tried to piece together the mayhem they had experienced. Schools were set to be closed for the start of the following week, with the FBI saying Santa Fe High School and the surrounding area would remain a closed crime scene “for some time”.

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Authorities said the assailant appeared to have obtained his weapons - a shotgun and a revolver - from his father, who possessed them legally. Explosive devices were found both at the school and off campus, Mr Gonzalez said.

Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Show all 15 1 /15 Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Santa Fe High School staff react as they gather in the parking lot of a gas station The Galveston County Daily News via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school An active shooter incident was reported at Santa Fe High School in Texas KTRK-TV ABC13 via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school People embrace outside the Alamo Gym where students and parents wait to reunite following a shooting at Santa Fe High School Houston Chronicle via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Law enforcement officers responding at Santa Fe High School HCSO via Reuters Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Santa Fe High School student Dakota Shrader is comforted by her mother Susan Davidson following a shooting at the school Stuart Villanueva/The Galveston County Daily News via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school School staff members sit in a school bus to be transported to another school The Galveston County Daily News via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school A Santa Fe Police officer consoles others after the shooting The Galveston County Daily News via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Emergency personnel and law enforcement officers respond to claims that an active shooter was reported on campus KTRK-TV ABC13 via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Police officers work a check point in front of Santa Fe High School The Galveston County Daily News via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school A woman prays in the grass outside the Alamo Gym where parents wait to reunite with their kids following a shooting at Santa Fe High School Houston Chronicle via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Santa Fe High School freshman Caitlyn Girouard, center, hugs her friend outside the Alamo Gym Houston Chronicle via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school A Pearland Police armored vehicle stands in front of Santa Fe High School The Galveston County Daily News via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school Emergency responders from multiple agencies work at the scene The Galveston County Daily News via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school In this image taken from video law enforcement officers respond to a high school near Houston after an active shooter was reported on campus, Friday, May 18, 2018, in Santa Fe, Texas. The Santa Fe school district issued an alert Friday morning saying Santa Fe High School has been placed on lockdown. (KTRK-TV ABC13 via AP) KTRK-TV ABC13 via AP Texas shooting: scene at Santa Fe high school In this image taken from video law enforcement officers respond to a high school near Houston after an active shooter was reported on campus, Friday, May 18, 2018, in Santa Fe, Texas. The Santa Fe school district issued an alert Friday morning saying Santa Fe High School has been placed on lockdown. (KTRK-TV ABC13 via AP) KTRK-TV ABC13 via AP

Court documents said the suspect admitted to authorities having carried out the shooting “with the intent of killing people” and said he spared the lives of students he liked so that “he could have his story told“.

Writings in the suspect's journals that indicated he wanted to take his own life, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said.

“We also know information already that the shooter has information contained in journals on his computer and his cell phone that he said that not only did he want to commit the shooting, but he wanted to commit suicide after the shooting,” he said.

“As you probably know, he gave himself up and admitted at the time he didn't have the courage to commit the suicide, that he wanted to take his own life earlier,” Abbott added.

Some fellow students described him as quiet. He also played on the school's American football team.

President Donald Trump called the shooting heartbreaking and said that federal and local authorities were coordinating in the wake of the gun attack.

“My administration is determined to do everything in our power to protect our students, secure our schools and to keep weapons out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves and to others,” Mr Trump said at the White House.

As the day unfolded, Democratic elected officials said the latest shooting again proved the need for tougher gun laws. They were joined by teenage survivors of the Florida shooting who have turned into vocal fun control advocates.