LOC19:52
16:52 GMT
WASHINGTON, May 19 (KUNA) -- The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday confirmed a Pakistani foreign exchange student was among those murdered in the latest school shooting in Texas.
Pompeo offered his deepest condolences to the family and friends of 17-year-old Sabika Sheikh, who was among the nine students and one teacher killed in yesterday's deadly shooting in Santa Fe High School in southeast Texas. Ten others were injured in the attack, including a police officer.
According to Pompeo, Sheikh was in the US as part of a State Department-sponsored Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program aimed at "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 both here in the United States, and in Pakistan," Pompeo said in a statement.
Police have charged another 17-year-old student, Dimitrios Pagourtzis, with capital murder and aggravated assault for carrying out the deadly attack.
Earlier, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and other officials indicated that two other people were being interviewed to see whether they were involved.
But authorities reportedly now believe those two were not connected to the crime.
The latest attack in Texas is the 22nd school shooting in the US this year. (end)
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