Texans' J.J. Watt Will Reportedly Pay For Funerals Of Santa Fe High School Shooting Victims

Texans superstar defensive end J.J. Watt has been an activist in the Houston community before, raising more than $37 million dollars to help the city recover from Hurricane Harvey last year. Now, in the aftermath of the school shooting that claimed 10 lives on Friday morning, Watt has informed Santa Fe High School, which is near Houston, that he will pay for the funerals of the victims, according to the Houston Chronicle's John McClain and Fox 26's Mark Bergman. 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called the shooting "one of the most heinous attacks that we've ever seen in the history of Texas schools." In addition to the 10 killed, 10 more were also wounded.

According to CBS News, 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis, the suspect, is in custody.He is being held with no bond on charges of capital murder and aggravated assault of a peace officer, but additional charges could still come. According to Abbott, a shotgun and a .38 revolver, which were legally owned by Pagourtzis' father, were used during the attack. Citing a law enforcement source, CBS News reported that police also discovered pressure cookers and pipe bombs around the school, and explosive devices in the school.

The shooting comes just three months after 17 people were killed during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida. According to CNN, "this is the 22nd US school shooting since the beginning of the year, and the third instance in eight days in which a gunman was on a school campus."

After the attack, Watt expressed his grief on Twitter.

The Texans also released a statement in which they offered their condolences and prayers to all those affected.

On behalf of the Texans organization, we are saddened by the tragic events at Sante Fe High School this morning and extend our thoughts and heartfelt condolences to the victims, their families and all those affected. We are grateful for the brave first responders, law enforcement officials and medical personnel. The Texans family will continue to pray for our neighbors.

 Watt, 29, has played for the Texans since 2011 and leads the franchise in career sacks with 76. Watt's 2017 season was cut short by injury, but he still managed to win (sharing it with Houston Astros' second-baseman Jose Altuve) Sports Illustrated's 2017 Sportsperson of the Year award for his efforts after Hurricane Harvey.