Abdul Aziz learned about the US school shooting in which his 17-year-old daughter was killed from CNN, with the story airing live as he broke his Ramadan fast thousands of miles away in Pakistan.

In those chaotic first moments of confusion and terror he called his daughter Sabika Sheikh's phone over and over. She did not answer.

"I kept calling her and sent her messages on WhatsApp. Never before had my daughter failed to reply," Aziz told AFP, fighting back tears at his home in the southern port city Karachi Saturday, just hours after he and his wife had their worst fears confirmed.

"We are still in a state of denial. It is like a nightmare," said Aziz. His wife sat nearby, visibly still shocked and seemingly unable to speak as friends and relatives tried to comfort her.

Sheikh, an exchange student at the Santa Fe High School in Texas, was killed along with nine others after a heavily armed student opened fire on his classmates Friday.

It was the latest school shooting to rock the US, and came just three months after the massacre in Parkland, Florida, in which 17 people were killed, sparking an unprecedented grassroots, student-led gun control movement.

In Pakistan, the Santa Fe shooting has unleashed an outpouring of sympathy and horror over the tragic murder of Sheikh, who had been in the US for 10 months and was just weeks away from coming home.

Sheikh's father said she had always excelled in school, and had dreamed of serving in Pakistan's foreign office.

She had been due to return to Karachi in time for Eid al-Fitr, one of Islam's most revered holidays, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in which families come together and celebrate with days of feasting.

"She was coming back soon," her father said.

"There is a general impression that... life is safe and secure in America. But this is not the case."

Terrorism

The alleged gunman -- Dimitrios Pagourtzis, who at 17 is the same age as Sheikh -- was later apprehended by police and is being held on capital murder charges, meaning he could face the death penalty.

Police have yet to release details about a possible motive.

It was the 22nd school shooting this year, according to US media reports, a disturbing statistic in a country where firearms are part of everyday life and there are more than 30,000 gun-related deaths annually.

The news that a Pakistani exchange student was among the dead appeared to break through the now-routine outpouring of grief on social media after such killings, with US celebrities joining Pakistanis in expressing their sorrow

"This little girl could've been my daughter. We must do more than just console the parents of these murdered kids," said American actress Mindy Kaling on Twitter, along with a picture of Sheikh in a post online.

Some Pakistanis, for whom militant violence is all too familiar, branded the killing "terrorism".

"My heart is crying for #SabikaSheikh we have lost our brightest asset because of terrorism," tweeted Malik Rohaina, from the southern Pakistani city of Hyderabad.

Despite perennially rocky relations between Washington and Islamabad, the US has long been a favoured destination for Pakistani students studying abroad, with thousands enrolling in American schools every year.

Sheikh was in the US on a State Department-sponsored exchange programme.

Expressing his "deepest condolences" to her family and friends, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that Sheikh was "helping to build ties between the United States and her native Pakistan".

"Sabika's death and that of the other victims is heartbreaking and will be mourned deeply" in both countries, he added.

Even as he mourned the loss of his daughter, Aziz said he hoped the tragedy would not frighten fellow Pakistanis from following her lead.

"Such incidents should not make people lose heart... and one should not stop going to the US or UK or China or anywhere," said Aziz.

"One must go for education undeterred."

Abdul Aziz learned about the US school shooting in which his 17-year-old daughter was killed from CNN, with the story airing live as he broke his Ramadan fast thousands of miles away in Pakistan

Abdul Aziz learned about the US school shooting in which his 17-year-old daughter was killed from CNN, with the story airing live as he broke his Ramadan fast thousands of miles away in Pakistan. In those chaotic first moments of confusion and terror he called his daughter Sabika Sheikh's phone over and over. She did not answer. "I kept calling her and sent her messages on WhatsApp. Never before had my daughter failed to reply," Aziz told AFP, fighting back tears at his home in the southern port city Karachi Saturday, just hours after he and his wife had their worst fears confirmed. "We are still in a state of denial. It is like a nightmare," said Aziz. His wife sat nearby, visibly still shocked and seemingly unable to speak as friends and relatives tried to comfort her. Sheikh, an exchange student at the Santa Fe High School in Texas, was killed along with nine others after a heavily armed student opened fire on his classmates Friday. It was the latest school shooting to rock the US, and came just three months after the massacre in Parkland, Florida, in which 17 people were killed, sparking an unprecedented grassroots, student-led gun control movement. In Pakistan, the Santa Fe shooting has unleashed an outpouring of sympathy and horror over the tragic murder of Sheikh, who had been in the US for 10 months and was just weeks away from coming home. Sheikh's father said she had always excelled in school, and had dreamed of serving in Pakistan's foreign office. She had been due to return to Karachi in time for Eid al-Fitr, one of Islam's most revered holidays, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in which families come together and celebrate with days of feasting. "She was coming back soon," her father said. "There is a general impression that... life is safe and secure in America. But this is not the case." Terrorism The alleged gunman -- Dimitrios Pagourtzis, who at 17 is the same age as Sheikh -- was later apprehended by police and is being held on capital murder charges, meaning he could face the death penalty. Police have yet to release details about a possible motive. It was the 22nd school shooting this year, according to US media reports, a disturbing statistic in a country where firearms are part of everyday life and there are more than 30,000 gun-related deaths annually. The news that a Pakistani exchange student was among the dead appeared to break through the now-routine outpouring of grief on social media after such killings, with US celebrities joining Pakistanis in expressing their sorrow "This little girl could've been my daughter. We must do more than just console the parents of these murdered kids," said American actress Mindy Kaling on Twitter, along with a picture of Sheikh in a post online. Some Pakistanis, for whom militant violence is all too familiar, branded the killing "terrorism". "My heart is crying for #SabikaSheikh we have lost our brightest asset because of terrorism," tweeted Malik Rohaina, from the southern Pakistani city of Hyderabad. Despite perennially rocky relations between Washington and Islamabad, the US has long been a favoured destination for Pakistani students studying abroad, with thousands enrolling in American schools every year. Sheikh was in the US on a State Department-sponsored exchange programme. Expressing his "deepest condolences" to her family and friends, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that Sheikh was "helping to build ties between the United States and her native Pakistan". "Sabika's death and that of the other victims is heartbreaking and will be mourned deeply" in both countries, he added. Even as he mourned the loss of his daughter, Aziz said he hoped the tragedy would not frighten fellow Pakistanis from following her lead. "Such incidents should not make people lose heart... and one should not stop going to the US or UK or China or anywhere," said Aziz. "One must go for education undeterred."

'Nightmare': Pakistan family mourns daughter killed in Texas shooting

Ten people, mostly students, were killed in a deadly attack when a 17-year-old fellow student opened fire at his Texas High school on Friday.&nbsp;

The student, Dimitrios Pagourtzis, who was arrested on murder charges was a 17-year-old junior at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/texas-shooting-what-we-know-about-17-year-old-suspect-dimitrios-pagourtzis--138060">Texas shooting: What we know about 17-year-old suspect Dimitrios Pagourtzis</a>

Governor Greg Abbott said 10 people died and another 10 were wounded in what he called "one of the most heinous attacks that we've ever seen in the history of Texas schools."

"Nothing can prepare a parent for the loss of a child," Abbott told reporters in Santa Fe, located some 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Houston.

Abbott said the gunman apparently carried out the attack with a shotgun and a .38 revolver that were legally owned by his father.

The Houston Chronicle said Pagourtzis also threw pipe bombs into a classroom at the start of the school day.

Pagourtzis had recently posted a picture of a black t-shirt on his Facebook page that read: "BORN TO KILL." Abbott said authorities were examining his journal. But there were no outward signs he had been planning an attack, the governor said.

Information from his cellphone and computer showed "not only did he want to commit the shooting, but he wanted to commit suicide after the shooting," said Texas Governor Greg Abbott, briefing reporters.

"He gave himself up, and admitted at the time he didn't have the courage to commit suicide."

Abbott said there were no "warning signs" about the suspect ahead of time although he did post a picture on his Facebook page of a T-shirt with the words "Born to Kill" on it.

"As far as having a criminal history, he has none," Abbott said. "His slate is pretty clean. And so there simply were not the same type of warning signs that we've seen in so many other shootings."

Classmates described the Santa Fe suspect as a quiet student who kept to himself and played on the football team. They also said he wore a trench coat to school on the day of shooting, when temperatures topped 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius).

It was the latest in a long series of deadly shootings at U.S. schools. Seventeen teens and educators were shot dead at a Parkland, Florida, high school on Feb. 14, a massacre that stirred the nation's long-running debate over gun ownership.

It was the second mass shooting in Texas in less than a year, following a massacre at a rural church in November, when a man armed with an assault rifle shot dead 26 people.

The student, Dimitrios Pagourtzis, who was arrested on murder charges was a 17-year-old junior at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas

Ten people, mostly students, were killed in a deadly attack when a 17-year-old fellow student opened fire at his Texas High school on Friday. The student, Dimitrios Pagourtzis, who was arrested on murder charges was a 17-year-old junior at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas. Also read: Texas shooting: What we know about 17-year-old suspect Dimitrios Pagourtzis Governor Greg Abbott said 10 people died and another 10 were wounded in what he called "one of the most heinous attacks that we've ever seen in the history of Texas schools." "Nothing can prepare a parent for the loss of a child," Abbott told reporters in Santa Fe, located some 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Houston. Abbott said the gunman apparently carried out the attack with a shotgun and a .38 revolver that were legally owned by his father. The Houston Chronicle said Pagourtzis also threw pipe bombs into a classroom at the start of the school day. Pagourtzis had recently posted a picture of a black t-shirt on his Facebook page that read: "BORN TO KILL." Abbott said authorities were examining his journal. But there were no outward signs he had been planning an attack, the governor said. Information from his cellphone and computer showed "not only did he want to commit the shooting, but he wanted to commit suicide after the shooting," said Texas Governor Greg Abbott, briefing reporters. "He gave himself up, and admitted at the time he didn't have the courage to commit suicide." Abbott said there were no "warning signs" about the suspect ahead of time although he did post a picture on his Facebook page of a T-shirt with the words "Born to Kill" on it. "As far as having a criminal history, he has none," Abbott said. "His slate is pretty clean. And so there simply were not the same type of warning signs that we've seen in so many other shootings." Classmates described the Santa Fe suspect as a quiet student who kept to himself and played on the football team. They also said he wore a trench coat to school on the day of shooting, when temperatures topped 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius). It was the latest in a long series of deadly shootings at U.S. schools. Seventeen teens and educators were shot dead at a Parkland, Florida, high school on Feb. 14, a massacre that stirred the nation's long-running debate over gun ownership. It was the second mass shooting in Texas in less than a year, following a massacre at a rural church in November, when a man armed with an assault rifle shot dead 26 people.

Ten dead in Texas school shooting, student arrested

A 17-year-old high school student seemed to have been drawn to all things dangerous.&nbsp;Dimitrios Pagourtzis&nbsp;on Friday shot 10 people at his <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/ten-dead-in-texas-school-shooting-student-arrested-138048">Texas high school.</a> No one saw it coming.&nbsp;

The suspect is being held at Galveston County Jail on charges of capital murder, making him eligible for the death penalty. There is no bond set.&nbsp;

Dimitrios Pagourtzis seemed like a normal kid, had no criminal history or law enforcement. He wasn't known to own any guns. The shotgun and pistol were both registered to his father.

But, his social media portals showed something a little different - with pictures of T-shirts saying "born to kill" to pictures of a bed filled with weapons - giving hints that he had been planning the attack for a while. His Facebook and Instagram have now been deleted.&nbsp;

Police say the teenager detailed his plans to carry out the school shooting in a diary, on his computer, and on a mobile phone.

The boyish, clean-cut 17-year-old, is the son of a Greek immigrant apparently in the marine supply business.

<img alt="Untitled design_3.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="450" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/Untitled%20design_3.jpg" width="770" />

Fellow students at the school described him as "quiet" and someone who "kept to himself."

Pagourtzis promoted a YouTube channel under the pseudonym Comma Kazi. The channel features three uploaded videos of various rap songs. The last update came in 2013.

His post-high school plans were set: he indicated that he intended to join the US Marines after graduating in 2019.

The family lived in the plain about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Houston, a region that suffered some of the worst floodings from Hurricane Harvey last year.

In a state where high school football is king, "Dimitri" played as a defensive lineman for the last two years on the school's freshman and junior varsity teams. In October 2016, Pagourtzis was noted as playing “a huge role” in a 14-0 victory for the Santa Fe JV football team.

He was in a church dance club and did well academically. School officials say he was previously on the school's "honour roll" of high-achievers and was expected to graduate in 2019. According to local media, he was a member of a dance squad with a local Greek Orthodox church.

"He was very quiet. Stuck to himself," a teammate told local television. "I maybe have seen him get bullied a few times, but nothing too serious. For him to do something this catastrophic, it's crazy."

His Facebook page suggested a fascination with cult icons and symbols. His profile picture was taken from an album by a Paris-based techno musician known as "Perturbator" with a red inverted pentagram, seen often as a satanic symbol.

A picture of his black coat was posted on his Facebook page in which he described some of the symbols attached to it.

"Hammer and Sickle = Rebellion Rising Sun = Kamikaze Tactics Iron Cross = Bravery," he wrote.

While there was no immediate confirmation, descriptions by students at the scene of the shooting suggested that was the jacket he wore.

<img alt="f71a6e1d84f85f27ef6b1a3f8a88dd2b7437753b.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="768" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/f71a6e1d84f85f27ef6b1a3f8a88dd2b7437753b.jpg" width="614" />

The suspect is being held at Galveston County Jail on charges of capital murder, making him eligible for the death penalty

A 17-year-old high school student seemed to have been drawn to all things dangerous. Dimitrios Pagourtzis on Friday shot 10 people at his Texas high school. No one saw it coming. The suspect is being held at Galveston County Jail on charges of capital murder, making him eligible for the death penalty. There is no bond set. Dimitrios Pagourtzis seemed like a normal kid, had no criminal history or law enforcement. He wasn't known to own any guns. The shotgun and pistol were both registered to his father. But, his social media portals showed something a little different - with pictures of T-shirts saying "born to kill" to pictures of a bed filled with weapons - giving hints that he had been planning the attack for a while. His Facebook and Instagram have now been deleted. Police say the teenager detailed his plans to carry out the school shooting in a diary, on his computer, and on a mobile phone. The boyish, clean-cut 17-year-old, is the son of a Greek immigrant apparently in the marine supply business. Fellow students at the school described him as "quiet" and someone who "kept to himself." Pagourtzis promoted a YouTube channel under the pseudonym Comma Kazi. The channel features three uploaded videos of various rap songs. The last update came in 2013. His post-high school plans were set: he indicated that he intended to join the US Marines after graduating in 2019. The family lived in the plain about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Houston, a region that suffered some of the worst floodings from Hurricane Harvey last year. In a state where high school football is king, "Dimitri" played as a defensive lineman for the last two years on the school's freshman and junior varsity teams. In October 2016, Pagourtzis was noted as playing “a huge role” in a 14-0 victory for the Santa Fe JV football team. He was in a church dance club and did well academically. School officials say he was previously on the school's "honour roll" of high-achievers and was expected to graduate in 2019. According to local media, he was a member of a dance squad with a local Greek Orthodox church. "He was very quiet. Stuck to himself," a teammate told local television. "I maybe have seen him get bullied a few times, but nothing too serious. For him to do something this catastrophic, it's crazy." His Facebook page suggested a fascination with cult icons and symbols. His profile picture was taken from an album by a Paris-based techno musician known as "Perturbator" with a red inverted pentagram, seen often as a satanic symbol. A picture of his black coat was posted on his Facebook page in which he described some of the symbols attached to it. "Hammer and Sickle = Rebellion Rising Sun = Kamikaze Tactics Iron Cross = Bravery," he wrote. While there was no immediate confirmation, descriptions by students at the scene of the shooting suggested that was the jacket he wore.

Texas shooting: What we know about 17-year-old suspect Dimitrios Pagourtzis