Anaheim family grieving loss of teen son killed in Texas high school shooting
ANAHEIM, Calif. (KABC) -- A father and other relatives in Orange County are grieving the loss of a teen boy who was among the 10 victims killed in the Texas high school shooting this week.
As the suspected shooter's parents said Saturday that they're as shocked as everyone else, efforts were underway to help the local family tied to the tragedy.
Jared Black, 17, was one of the eight students shot and killed Friday morning at Santa Fe High School, along with two teachers.
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A close family friend, Elizabeth McGinnis, told Eyewitness News Jared's father and brother live in Anaheim.
His family in California didn't know if Jared was one of the victims and waited for confirmation. They received the devastating news 13 hours later.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to fly Jared's father, stepmom, brother and grandfather to Texas, where he'll be laid to rest.
NFL player JJ Watt of the Houston Texans has offered to pay for all 10 funerals, which will be held in the coming days. McGinnis said she's thankful for his kind and generous offer to help the families.
Jared spent his last summer with his father and other relatives. He had just turned 17 the week of the shooting and was supposed to be celebrating his birthday just a day after the massacre.
Thirteen people injured in the shooting are still recovering, including an officer who was shot.
Meantime, the gunman, identified as student Dimitrios Pagourtzis, remains behind bars on capital murder charges. His lawyers tell ABC News the shotgun and pistol the 17-year-old used were locked in his father's gun cabinet, and his parents didn't know about their son's alleged plan.
